


I'll Always Have One More Try

by annewithane



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, But mostly fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-31
Updated: 2017-08-31
Packaged: 2018-12-22 01:30:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 34,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11956863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annewithane/pseuds/annewithane
Summary: “Well I should get to my next class…” Louis looks around at everyone else doing the same.So Harry decides to bite the bullet. “Yeah, um, but yeah, I was just wondering if you have any interest in going out on friday?”Besides the tiny flinch of his eyebrows he doesn’t look that fazed by the question. “None, actually,” he says, adding a small smirk before walking away.Which is… valid.A 10 Things I Hate About You AU where Lottie’s mum tells her she can't date until Louis does, so to get around said rule, she convinces and pays Harry Styles to date her brother.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I kind of want to say that this is loosely based off of 10 Things I Hate About You, because even though it is completely inspired by the movie, I did try to make it my own. So, just so you know! And I hope you enjoy!

It’s only the second week back at school and Louis is already being tested.

For some reason someone—probably Mrs. Hargreaves, she’s always had it out for Louis—decided first period drama was a good idea, meaning that after first period Louis has nothing left to look forward to for the rest of the day until he gets to go home. 

His good mood from drama is always immediately squashed the second he walks into his history class in second period.

He’s already certain his teacher hates him. For one, they have a seating plan which is annoying enough on its own, but on top of that, Louis has been forced to sit in the very front of the room; isolated and in prime pick–on–students–to–answer–questions–they–don’t–have–the–answers–to section of the room.

But his bad mood is mostly due to the wonderful fact that it’s Monday, his tea is almost gone, and Mr. Mason, the dreaded history teacher, is handing out an assignment rubric and there’s a badly drawn tree with names all around it on the board that can only mean one thing in Louis’ many years of experience as a student.

Mr. Mason doesn’t waste any time on warm welcomes or housekeeping issues before getting into said assignment. “So for our first assignment this term, we’ll all be looking at our family trees. You’ll each write a paper on your family. You can go as far back as possible, or look at your more immediate family.”

“What is this? Year six again?” Louis mumbles. He’s positive that this assignment was sent from Satan himself specifically to torture students with single parents. Not that Louis feels like he’s lost anything by not having a second parental figure; his mum can carry the weight of a small army, he’s sure. But it’s never been fun trying to come up with an assignment the same length as someone with twice the amount of family members. He’s still scarred from the time in primary where they had to present their hand drawn trees to the entire class and a bunch of kids went off about how he only had half a tree. Or maybe he’s just worried about what might happen if this ridiculous assignment is still done when he’s got a kid of his own, and they have to talk about their two dads to the entire class.

On a positive note though, if things continue how they are he’ll die alone with no kid or second dad in sight.

“Mr. Tomlinson.” Mr. Mason never says Louis. It’s always Mr. Tomlinson. Louis would probably like it if it was anyone else that was using it. “Is there something you wanted to say to the class?”

“No, just really looking forward to digging through my basement to find the last ten times I did this assignment.” He sends his mother a small thanks every time this assignment comes around for stopping him from burning his notes every year, and instead making him go through them in case he might ever use them again.

“If you need something more challenging, I’d be glad to accommodate you.”

“That’s okay, I wouldn’t want you to waste any more of your free time.” Louis says, returning back to his notes and tracing the date until the ink tears through the paper.

Mr. Mason merely blinks before crossing to the other side of the class. He continues going on about the assignment and how despite the fact that _yes_ , every single person has done this before, he wants them to dig deeper this time; go further than they’ve ever gone and look into how they’re family got to be where they are.

Louis forgets about it the second he leaves History. He spend the rest of the day going from class to class piling up more and more assignments, most of which are at least slightly more interesting than his family tree.

His last class of the day is Foods with Eleanor, which is one of his better and more simple classes even though it doesn’t come all that easy to him. His reason for signing up for the class was all because Eleanor asked him to, and the promise of bringing leftover treats home.

Except, he usually nearly finishes eating everything while waiting for Lottie to stop flirting in the parking lot before they leave to go home.

Today they made chocolate chip cookies to start the term on an easy note; meaning they finished before class ended, were let out early, and now Louis has to wait even longer than usual for Lottie. As an added bonus, Eleanor has a study date so she’s not here to wait with him today.

_But Louis,_ Lottie always tells him after his daily twenty minute wait, _it’s rude to leave in the middle of a conversation._

It’s okay though, he has his cookies today.

He only makes his way through three before he can see Lottie entering the parking lot, holding onto her backpack with both hands, taking her time. It’s okay, it’s not like he’s in a rush to get started on the fucking tree assignment. He would just prefer to spend as little time as possible at this place.

“Well, young Lottie, how was your day?” Louis says as they finally get in the car.

“Good,” she smiles, grabbing for the bag of cookies that Louis’ been making his way through, “and feel free to stop calling me that anytime.”

Louis has plenty of nicknames specially designed for Lottie, so it’s not like that would be a problem. “Feel free to go back in time and birth yourself before me,” he says pulling out of his spot.

“Okay, then,” Lottie says with a cookie in her mouth.

It takes another ten minutes to get out onto the main street. The parking lot is a mess on it’s own, but it’s an absolute disaster when you add a bunch of teenagers who just got their licenses in it all dying to get out of this place as fast as they can.

The only rule regularly enforced in Louis’ car is Louis’ car, Louis’ music and the only person who can sometimes bend the rule is Lottie. By sometimes he means at least half of the time, including today, and she immediately starts blasting ABBA so it works out in Louis’ favour anyway. They spend the fifteen minute drive home plus all the time it takes to get out of the mess of a parking lot singing along to their greatest hits and end their trip screaming the words to Mamma Mia as Louis pulls into the driveway.

“Mother!” Louis calls the second he walks through the door. The only good thing about Monday’s is that his mum gets off work before he gets out of school, so she’s always waiting for Louis and Lottie to arrive at home.

“Son!” Jay yells back from the kitchen.

Louis smiles through a scoff, throwing his shoes off and his jacket on it’s designated spot on the coat hanger. “I’m home!”

Jay pops her head out from the wall separating the entryway from the kitchen. “How was school?” She motions behind herself. “I’ve got tea ready for you in the kitchen. Supper should be ready in the next hour or so.”

Louis waltzes into the kitchen behind her, sitting in his spot on the island after grabbing the milk from the fridge for his tea and taking out the remaining cookies from his backpack.

“Hi, love,” Jay greets, smacking a kiss on his cheek and setting his tea down in front of him.

“Hi, mum,” he says with a mouth full of cookie.

“Break any boys hearts today?”

“Probably,” Louis smiles over his shoulder as Jay goes to greet Lottie who’s joined them in the kitchen to grab her own tea.

Louis pulls his school work out of his bag as Lottie does the same beside him. Louis’ only motivation to actually sit down and get any work done is like this, when all his family is sitting down together. It’s especially helpful when he’s got assignment for classes like the one for History. Jay is always offering up her assistant in any way that she can for their homework. His favourite, and probably Jay’s as well, is when he gets to rehearse his monologues for his drama class for them.

Once Jay takes the seat across from Louis, he pushes the family tree assignment onto the top of the book that she’s reading.

“Oh, god,” she laughs. “This again?”

“Mhm.” Louis grabs the sheet back, staring at it attentively. This is definitely the most productive he’ll be until he finishes his tea. “But! Digging deeper this time.” He raises his eyebrows in mock enthusiasm. You can only go so much deeper after doing the same assignment over and over. Maybe Louis will scrap all the copies he has in the basement this time and make up a story about a distant relative of his that was a journalist trying to expose the war, or make up a bunch of interesting gay uncles.

He decides to start off with his English instead, since it will require the least amount of effort considering all he has to do is read a book he’s already read before. English is far from his worst subject and how much he enjoys it is usually ninety percent dependent on the current teacher he has. Meaning this term, he loves it as he’s got a great teacher who is definitely gay since the first book they’re reading _Dorian Gray_.

They settle into their quiet routine, sipping tea with their heads buried in their respective tasks. Louis only gets through the first chapter before Eleanor begins distracting him with live updates of her date. She says it’s definitely a no go and is in the processes of coming up with an excuse to ditch and Louis tells her he’ll meet her at The Roastery in an hour when she’s free before wishing her luck.

He only gets through one more chapter—which takes significantly more time than the first thanks to Eleanor’s constant texts—before Lottie brings up the inevitable. “So mum,” she smiles sweetly, or _tries_ to, resting her chin on her hands, “there’s this boy…”

Lottie needs to follow Louis’ philosophy in life, it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

Jay raises her eyebrows. “No, there is not.”

“Mum, there’s this boy and he likes me,” Louis snorts before she continues, “and he asked me out.”

“Lottie, boys are not good company to keep,” Louis says with his face still in the book.

“Exactly,” Jay laughs before throwing her arms in Louis’ direction. “Look at Louis, he’s applying to some fabulous schools in London all because he didn’t let any boys take him anywhere.”

“Thanks, mum,” Louis breathes out on a laugh. Boys have to actually express interest before they could take Louis anywhere. Louis also resents the fact that his mum thinks that if boys were taking him places he wouldn’t be getting into great schools.

Lottie sticks her bottom lip out dramatically. “Are you ever going to be cool with me dating?”

“How about when Louis does,” Jay answers, now standing up and distracted by taking supper out of the oven.

Lottie gasps, turning to face Louis. “Louis! Please!”

Louis glares at Jay while she breathes out a laugh, avoiding his eyes. “No.” One, because if Louis hasn’t found a guy in this town willing to date up to this day, he doesn’t think he ever will anytime soon. Two, absolutely not.

“I will never ask you for anything else.” Lottie grabs his arm. Surely she can tell Jay isn’t really suggesting Louis needs to find a date for Lottie to be able to.

“Yeah, you said that last week when you asked to wear that bomber of mine. And the week before when I told you I would cover for you when you went to that party.”

“That was a joke,” Lottie flips her head to Jay—who is standing there laughing to herself—before glaring back at Louis. “Louis, please. I’ll help you find the most beautiful not straight boy you’ve ever seen.”

“You convince Zachary Quinto to take me out and we’ll talk.”

“Louis.”

“No,” Louis hunches his shoulders in, holding his hands up in surrender. “I am not taking out some sorry bloke just so you can do the same.”

“Well that’s just fucking rude.”

*

Harry piles his books for the afternoon under his arms, struggling to shut his locker behind him. He has to run to work straight after school, and having all his work shit stuffed in there alongside his school work means his locker isn’t in the best condition. At this point, his bag is pretty useless but he’s vehemently against letting his mum buy him a new one despite her many requests to do so.

He’s almost positive this is a record for how quickly his locker has gone to shit, considering the school year began only a week and a half ago. But it’s his last year before university so he figures he’s got to leave his locker life with a bang.

He gets it shut right as two kids walk up behind him, leaning against the locker beside his. They look harmless, or at least harmless in comparison to the people he’s used to giving him shit. But—don’t judge a book by it’s cover, and all.

The grey haired girl closest to him now is the first to address him. “Harry, right.” She doesn’t really pose it as a question.

“Hi,” he smiles politely. They both look vaguely familiar, not enough to say hi to either of them in the hallway or approach them during lunch but he is pretty sure he’s had a class or two with the guy.

“I’m Lottie.” The girl introduces herself before pointing to the guy next to her. “Tommy. You know Louis Tomlinson, right?” Harry nods once. Yes, Harry knows Louis. “We need a small favour.” Harry also recognizes her right after she mentions Louis as his sister. They look similar enough but he’s also seen her around him a couple of times. And she’s short just like him.

“What’s that?” If it has something to do with Louis the the answer is probably yes. But if it has something to do with Louis the answer should probably be no.

“We need you to date him,” Lottie says easily.

“What?”

He’s not totally surprised by the request or the bluntness of how it’s asked after knowing Louis, and knowing this girl is related to him.

“We need you to take Louis out on a date. A romantic outing,” she goes on.

Harry laughs. “Sorry, I’m married,” he says, starting to walk backwards. He’s pretty sure Louis doesn’t need his sister setting him up on dates.

And this definitely isn’t how Harry imagined the progression of Louis and his’ relationship would eventually go.

“Please! Look there’s a sidewalk sale on 20th this weekend that I'm sure he'd love to go to.” Harry can tell based on what he’s seen of said sidewalk sale and from the few years he's existed near Louis, and the look on his sister's face that Louis would have zero interest in going. It also can barely be called a sidewalk sale considering it’s mostly just a bunch of food trucks. “We’ll pay, we’ll plan. You just have to show up. I mean, and convince Louis to show up.” There’s the rub. “Here's the thing, right, I can't date until Louis does. And that's why we need you.”

“You’re serious?”

This feels like a dream that Harry’s had before.

“Very.” Lottie nods and Tommy looks like he’s about to burst out laughing anytime soon.

Not that Harry’s mum would care who or when he dates, but the very simple solution here would be to sneak around and Tommy looks like he’s thinking the exact same thing.

Harry looks between the two of them. Wondering why he is about to say yes to this ridiculous plot. Most likely because he’s been very actively wanting to do exactly what they’re asking here for a couple years now. “You really want me to take your brother on a date?”

“Yes. Probably multiple.”

“Me?”

“Yes. Look at you,” she says, throwing her hands in Harry’s direction. “You’re, um, you’re cute and you are gay right?”

“Yes,” he breathes out a laugh. Apparently all one needs to get on with Louis is being cute and gay. Two things that Harry isn’t too bad at.

“Yeah, and you’re weird enough to put up with my brother.” Also true about Harry.

“Wow, you’re really selling him,” Harry laughs, not that anyone needs to sell Louis to him.

“No, he’s fun! I promise. I mean, he’s probably fun to some people,” she tells him.

Harry scoffs. She sounds like how Gemma might describe him to some new suitor. “This is a joke right?”

Lottie pouts. She actually pouts at him.

And she wants him to take Louis on a date. Which Harry would have no problems with.

“Fine.”

*

“Eleanor.”

She turns, with wide and bored eyes, towards Louis. “Louis.”

“No,” Louis points his spoon at her.

“But–”

“No. He’s not cute–”

“I think he’s cute.”

“He’s not. He’s got nothing going for him. He’s got a shit personality, zero sense of humour, he’s full of himself, and I’ve seen him drink a frappuccino at least twice. Also what happened to your strict no boy policy until uni. Or what happened to that girl you went out with the other week?”

They’re making banana bread for class and Louis is pretty sure he’s eaten the majority of the batter already. It’s Eleanor's fault. The batter is his distraction from Eleanor's terrible taste in men.

“She’s an aries, Louis and I can’t do that to myself.”

“I bet that man is an Aries.”

That man is Brett, and he’s the latest asshole Eleanor’s set her eyes on. He’s in their Foods class and he’s clearly doing it for the easy pass. Which is also partially why Louis is taking it, except Louis is also doing it because he’s an amazing friend. So, it’s different. Brett is a mess and Eleanor doesn’t need that.

Louis knows that nothing will come of it. He’s just trying to get Eleanor to understand before she goes out with the kid and discovers on her own that he’s an arse.

“Louis, stop.” Eleanor bumps Louis out of the way so she can finish pouring the bread into the pan. It’s looking a bit sad considering how little batter they have left.

But.

Eleanor’s fault.

“I just think,” Louis starts.

“That’s where you're wrong,” Eleanor says, smoothing out the batter and then taking a huge scoop out of the middle of the pan to eat.

Louis scoffs. “That’s enough out of you.”

“Okay. Your turn.” Eleanor turns to him with her accusing. “Who’s caught your eye?”

Eleanor would be the first to know if anyone caught his eye.

Louis sticks more batter in his mouth. “I hate men.”

*

It’s Friday and Harry has very determinedly decided that today is the day he will approach Louis and hopefully words will then come out of his mouth.

Yesterday Louis had his hair up in a quiff so there was no way Harry would have made it through any kind of slightly successful conversation with him.

So today is the day.

And he’ll probably get nowhere and then have to try again.

Louis and him have never really had a proper conversation despite having plenty of classes together over the years. They acknowledge each other every now and then though, and Louis is plenty loud that Harry’s heard enough out of him that he thinks they’ll get on just fine.

Lottie seems to have faith they will as well, probably too much, but enough to boost Harry’s confidence.

She also told him Louis appreciates a nice gentleman.

That was all she gave him.

So he’s not sure if that means hold the door open for him or take him for chaperoned walks on the beach, but he’s willing and able to give either a try.

Harry has both English and History with Louis. But it doesn't look promising that he’ll get a chance to talk to Louis in History.

Harry sits at the very back of the History room all thanks to Mr. Mason’s seating plan and he uses that as an excuse as to why he missed his chance with Louis since the door’s in the front of the class and Louis didn’t waste a second before slipping out. That’s much easier than admitting he completely chickened out.

So, English it is.

And English comes and goes way too quickly.

Harry rehearses the different ways the conversation might go all through lunch and English and by the time class is over he only has a small idea of the class’s actual content and not much of a plan at all regarding what he’s going to say to Louis. Regardless, he still grabs his shit in one arm and races right out of the door behind Louis.

“Hey, Louis,” Harry calls from a few steps behind him. He prays for a short second that Louis didn’t hear him. But apparently God hates him, because Louis quickly whips his head around to find the source of the voice with his eyebrows scrunched together.

“Hi,” Louis says after his eyes find Harry's and his eyebrows do not unscrunch.

“Hey,” Harry smiles, closing the distance between them. Louis looks very confused and Harry considers turning around. “Um, how's your year six assignment going?”

The probably sounded a little like Harry memorizes every thing Louis says.

But. Harry just has a good memory. Especially when it comes to cute boys.

Especially when it comes to Louis.

Louis’ eyebrows stay for a second longer before he softens his expression into a subtle smirk. “I actually found out I’m one sixteenth belgian.” Louis laughs, now making small steps down the hallway facing Harry. “For the sixth time probably.”

“Wow,” is all Harry says.

“My reaction exactly,” Louis breathes out, lifting his eyebrows at Harry as they continue down the hallway together. Harry’s not yet sure if this is going decently well or really bad. “Let me guess. You found out your great aunt is a lesbian and you’re crushed cause you’re no longer the token gay of your family.”

Harry smiles. Hopefully that means Louis has actually paid at least some attention to Harry and he felt like that little tidbit was important enough to store away. “I lost that status to my cousin last year sadly. Didn’t find out ‘til the wedding actually.”

“What?” Louis’ breathes out a laugh and Harry nearly trips over his feet.

“Yeah, I mean, the invite said her and some person named Taylor.” He shrugs.

“That sounds like something Eleanor would love to pull off.” Harry smiles along with Louis’ laugh even though he doesn't actually know and has never met Eleanor. He just assumes it’s the brunette girl that Louis is usually hanging around.

“I thought you might like to know that this assignment apparently never dies. To prepare yourself. My sister’s in Uni and she had to do it last year. It’s nice though because I just got her to send over her assignment. I’m assuming that if it was in depth enough for a university class it will be in depth enough for this one.” He ended up calling Gemma the second after he got out of class to get her help with the assignment. Harry remembers many nights of her texting him complaining—much like Louis—about how ridiculous the assignment was and then of course she did great on it.

Louis does a mixture of a pout and a laugh as they pull up to his locker. “Oh god,” he says opening the lock and exchanging two books. “I mean I still don’t know shit about my family. So, one or two more times might just do it.”

“At least English seems to be going good.” He nods backwards to the class.

“Yeah, Mr. Arle is great.” Louis smiles over at him and Harry feels an agreement between the two of them. An agreement that Mr. Arle too, is gay.

“Well I should get to my next class…” Louis looks around at everyone else doing the same.

So Harry decides to bite the bullet. “Yeah, um, but yeah, I was just wondering if you have any interest in going out on friday?”

Besides the tiny flinch of his eyebrows he doesn’t look that fazed by the question. “None, actually,” he says, adding a small smirk before walking away.

Which is… valid.

*

It only lasts a second.

Louis’ pure and good mood.

Despite the fact that Eleanor ditched him again and that his family tree assignment is due this coming Monday, Louis walked into Zumba class with a determined attitude that he was going to enjoy the class.

And now Harry Styles is walking into the class with a fucking crop top on. A pink fucking crop top.

So he can’t really be responsible for the next thing out of his mouth. “What the fuck?”

What the fuck is pretty much Louis’ response to everything involving Harry Styles these past few days. First he asked Louis out—Louis’ still not sure how serious that was—and then he kept saying hi to Louis in class, and now he’s at Zumba. In a crop top.

“Hi to you too.” And then Harry has the nerve to smirk. Crop tops, smirks, and Harrys are not a good combination. 

Louis crosses his arms. He doesn’t know how to flirt, and even if he did he doesn’t know if he’d want to do it to Harry. He’s known Harry for years. Or at least known of him and apparently, now Harry’s decided he's on some new BFF mission or something. “How did you know I would be here?”

“How do you know I’m not just obsessed with Zumba.” Harry lifts his eyebrows while setting down his bag. His Captain America bag—nearly on top of Louis’.

His bag is Captain America that is shaped like a shield. An actual round, shield shaped gym bag.

“Because I’ve seen you dance,” Louis says, averting his eyes from the bag. That might be too revealing. But they had gym class together ages ago and their teacher painfully forced them through a ballroom dance unit. It’s not Louis’ fault that Harry in particular stood out as one of the worst.

But Harry’s smile widens and that’s a bad sign. “You mean you’ve watched me dance.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.” Louis hides his smile and walks over to his spot for the class after the instructor gets to the front of the room to begin. And yes, Harry is following him. “If you’re going to ask me out again, let’s get it over with shall we?”

Harry points to the front of the room. “I think you should pay attention to the class, Louis,” he says, already following along with the instructor.

Louis shakes his head, biting his gums so that he doesn’t say anything back and instead turns to follow along with the class.

Harry is… not terrible. Louis doesn't think Harry is capable of looking terrible in a crop top. But still. Louis decides it's worth noting. He picks up the steps easily enough and every time he fucks up he does a shy little smile, which is something.

He also makes Louis fuck up more than usual. And it’s one hundred percent because of the crop top.

“So?” Harry starts as the class ends and they both head to grab their bags from the back of the room. “Did all right, I think.”

“Sure, you did,” Louis hums, shaking his head as Harry waves at a couple of the other people in the class. People who Louis has attended this class with for weeks and has never been waved at, but apparently Harry is already friends with them after day one.

They somehow end up walking out together, Harry humming along to the song on the speakers of the gym, and Louis walking with a decent amount of space between them, trying not to hum along. Louis thinks about making an excuse to go to the locker room to avoid anything further conversations where he has the chance to make a fool of himself. But then Harry might make an excuse, and then they’d both have to sit in the locker room with nothing to do. Louis fucking hates the locker room. Not this one in particular, but the concept as a whole, which is why he’s never been in the locker room here but he already knows he hates it.

Eventually, after what feels like longer than usual, they reach the shoe room, and _of course_ Harry brought his ridiculous boots to the gym. He’s already worn them twice this week, and Louis has only noticed because the sparkles all over them are nearly blinding. On top of that, they take him at least five times longer to get on than Louis’ slip on vans, but Louis ends up waiting for him for some reason.

He tries to find a polite way to say bye and leave. A simple goodbye should do it, but before he can spit it out, Harry stands up straight, smiles to bright at him, and goes to hold open the door.

“Thanks,” he mumbles, letting the cool air hit him as he walks past Harry.

He can feel Harry idling behind him just outside and decides it would be rude to run away without turning around. So he turns and there is Harry smiling down at him when he does. “So, I'll see you on Monday, yeah?” Harry says, reaching out his hand to touch Louis’ elbow for a short second. It’s weird, and so is Louis’ internal reaction.

He doesn’t react physically though, just lifts an eyebrow at Harry’s words. “You're not coming to another class are you?” This class was awkward enough on it’s own, it doesn’t need to be a thing.

“I was talking about school actually.” Harry’s shirt is blowing in the wind. Very distracting, it is. “I'm working Monday night, otherwise I wouldn't miss it.”

“Can't say you'll be missed.” His crop top on the other hand...

Harry laughs, way too loudly. “Lying looks good on you.”

God, this boy. Who fucking says that. “Everything looks good on me,” Louis scoffs, starting toward his car. He’s had enough for today, even though he’s sure Harry will follow him. He can see a dark blue car a couple down from his own car that looks suspiciously like Harry’s.

And yep, there’s Harry, skipping in step with Louis, twirling his keys in one hand with his head angled down. “You were really good, though.”

Louis breathes out on a laugh. “My mum’s fault.” They’ve got an entire bin filled with Zumba DVDs in their basement and when Louis was younger he always followed along to the best of his ability when his mum used them. He likes to think he picked up a thing or two.

“Thank you, Louis’ mum,” Harry says, and Louis is probably fucking blushing thanks to this ridiculous boy.

They finally reach Louis car and he turns to give Harry a small, polite—also a little forced—smile. “Monday, then?”

“Monday,” Harry nods.

Louis laughs because he doesn’t know what else to do. This is weird and he would prefer to be somewhere else.

“Bye,” he waves slightly before getting into his car and slamming his door shut as quickly as possible.

He forces himself not to look back at Harry as he turns the volume up, blasting ABBA as he races out of the parking lot.

*

“Can you repeat that again, a little slower this time.”

“Please don't make me.”

Harry can see Liam judging from the passenger seat out of the corner of his eye. “That's a joke though, right,” he says.

It’s Sunday and Harry is probably a terrible person.

“It’s not—” He stops. “It’s bad, isn’t it?” Harry looks in the rearview mirror to see Sarah and Niall in the back seat. Judging him as well. “It’s probably even worse that I might actually be into him, right?”

“God. Harry.” This time it’s Sarah.

“He does Zumba, though. And he’s quite good.”

*

Louis is currently spread out on his bed covered in the heaps of homework that he’s managed to accumulate already, as well as all of Eleanor’s stuff thrown into the mix as well.

It’s Sunday which should mean resting, but here he is.

Eleanor’s hanging off the side of the bed trying to read a book for English while Louis rests his eyes after completing the finishing touches on his mediocre family tree paper. It’s not his best work, not his worst, but it's done.

He should probably get started on _yes_ , yet another History assignment of his. They’re working through their politics section and are supposed to write an editorial on anything political of their choosing. Which should be easy enough but only after Louis actually picks a topic and right now, that requires him closing his eyes and not doing anything else.

He blames the crop top for the next thing out of his mouth.

“Eleanor, do you know Harry Styles?”

It’s an immediate reaction. She sits up quickly, throwing her book across the floor, and flips around to face Louis. “Are you trying to be my wingman, now?”

“No.” Louis keeps his eyes closed. He could probably still change the subject and get away with it, but then Eleanor would just bring it up an hour later.

“Is this boy for you then?” She crawls to sit next to Louis, smacking his arm when she gets close enough. This was clearly a terrible idea.

Louis only met Eleanor in sixth form since she went to a secondary school than Harry and him, so at the very least she would most likely recognize Harry, but he was kind of hoping Eleanor would know him and tell Louis he was bad news. Then Louis would have an excuse to stay away from him. Except, Harry’s never once given Louis bad news vibes and he probably wouldn’t believe Eleanor even if she did tell him that.

“No,” Louis whines, pushing her away and pushing himself up to sit up next to her.

Eleanor sits there just smiling for a good thirty seconds before continuing. “Who is he, then?”

He takes a deep breath, willing himself not to blush or anything ridiculous like that. “We went to the same secondary school and he came up to me the other day.”

Eleanor raises her eyebrows. “And?”

Louis turns his head to face her. “Asked me out.” He can feel his cheeks heat up the second he says it without his permission. Harry doesn’t deserve his blush.

He doesn’t mention the Zumba. Or the crop top. Or the other five hundred other times Harry’s come up to him this past week. Sometimes it’s just a short wave with a quirk of his mouth, but there’s been the odd occasion he’s made a minute or so of conversation before or after the classes that they have together.

“Um Louis!” She smacks the same spot on his arm again before settling down with her serious face. “Tell me about him,” she smiles, tapping his arm this time. “Does he want kids?”

Louis breathes out a laugh, pressing into her side and flipping his hands in front of him in a very uncoordinated, awkward movement. “He’s got like curly hair.”

“Interesting.” Eleanor sits waiting.

Louis shrugs, falling further down on the bed. “And dimples.”

“Very interesting.” She nods

“God, I don’t know,” Louis laughs, covering his face in his hands while leaning in toward Eleanor’s side. “He’s very cute and… gentlemanly.”

*

“Hi.” Harry very casually finds the seat next to Louis in English class.

Liam, Niall, and Sarah were very unhelpful with The Louis Situation, as they call it, but Harry was excited to get to History class for the first time this term so that has to mean something. Their dreaded seating plan in that class meant that Harry couldn’t snag a seat next to Louis, but he did sneak in a wave that Louis simply shook his head at.

It’s all about the baby steps.

Louis looks up with a blank expression. “Do I know you?”

Harry’s stomach does a weird thing. “Monday looks good on you.”

His expression breaks immediately, falling into a soft smile with a touch of a smirk. “Are you always like this?”

“Extremely charming?”

Louis shakes his head, turning back to what looks like a dayplanner where he starts scribbling in the corner. He’s wearing a oversized jumper, giving him the most endearing sweater paws that drag across the pages of his book.

He’s probably staring, but Louis’ got a hint of pink on his cheeks so what else is he supposed to do?

“Do you have a topic for your editorial yet?” Harry asks across the aisle unable to leave their conversation at that. School topics are not really the way to most people’s hearts, but Harry’s brain kind of short circuits around Louis, so it’s all he’s got for now.

“Um, yeah,” Louis mumbles with his head still down facing down at his planner. “Policemen. In Pride. And how they shouldn’t be there, like at the parades and shit.” He finishes with his eyes on Harry.

It’s obviously something important judging by Louis reaction.

Harry nods. “I agree.”

Louis breathes out a laugh while shifting in his seat so his body is facing Harry, tucking his hands into his lap. “Are you going to tell me yours?”

Harry nods very seriously. “How Zumba is making a comeback, and how that is a very good thing because certain fit boys look extra fit while doing Zumba.” Harry ends with a smile. Mostly because Louis’ face is doing it’s best not to smile and blush, but that’s not working very well at all.

Louis raises an eyebrow. “I can’t tell if you’re that full of yourself or if you’re talking about me.”

Harry shrugs, playing along.“Maybe a bit of both.”

Louis raises his eyebrows.

“You, obviously you,” Harry tells him as if it could be anyone else.

“Yes, that was very obvious.” Louis turns to the front of the class with a glued on smirk that Harry stares at even after Mr. Arle starts going on about some English related content. Eventually, Louis flicks his eyes to Harry and nods towards the front of the classroom to signify that Harry should pay attention.

He only does after a few more seconds.

*

Louis doesn’t know how this became a thing.

How one week he was perfectly content with ignoring Harry in a non-purposeful or rude way, and the next they start properly acknowledging each other in school. Multiple times in one day.

Harry makes it a thing to wave to Louis every time they see each other and Louis doesn't want to be impolite so he, of course, waves back. Harry’s also made it a thing to sit next to Louis in English which is not completely undesirable.

They’ve just gotten through their first acknowledgement of the day, and Louis is only slightly freaking out about what he should do when he leaves History class. He’s not sure if they’re on a level where Louis should wait for Harry so they can walk out together yet. Probably not. But maybe it’s just a polite thing to do anyway.

Louis frets nearly all class about the best way to stall after so that it’s Harry waiting for him and not him waiting for Harry. So that the ball is completely in Harry’s court. He decides if it comes to it he’ll talk to Mr. Mason about his editorial paper.

He prays to god it doesn’t come to that.

Of course the second the class ends and they’re dismissed, Harry is already packed up and heading directly towards Louis’ desk from his assigned spot in the back and Louis spent the majority of the class freaking out for no reason.

“Hi,” Harry smiles, leaning against Louis’ desk. He’s got on a white tank top and high waisted jeans snug on his waist.

He looks like he _knows_ he looks good.

“Hi.” Louis avoids his eyes, instead packing up his shit as quickly as he can considering the distraction perched against his desk that goes by the name Harry Styles and owns a crop top and high waisted jeans.

Harry waits patiently of course. Only continuing after Louis stands up, ready to head off. “Do you want to skip and grab some pizza?”

Louis doesn’t think it over like he probably should. “Fine.” He’s got class with Eleanor next and she’ll gladly hand over all the stuff he’ll miss. Only after questioning him for hours over why he didn't show up. But that’s something he’ll live with.

And it’s worth it because Harry’s face lights up immediately. Like a ridiculous amount, and Louis decides he’ll probably go anywhere with Harry if he asks him to.

Right now, that ends up being the pizza place a couple blocks away from their school. Louis rarely goes during lunch because it’s packed and if he made it a habit he would never break it. But Eleanor and him have made a great deal of late night trips to pick up a pizza or two. They have nearly every topping and cater to pretty much any diet.

The walk there consists mostly of Louis going off about the tree assignment again—even though it’s been handed in—because he’s nervous and apparently that nervousness manifests in not be able to shut up today. Harry doesn’t seem to mind though. He walks quietly beside Louis with a soft smile painted on his face and his head always angled towards Louis.

The streety is relatively quiet with a nice breeze. It’s grounding, considering Louis feels very out of his element. Mostly because he doesn’t know what they’re even doing.

He’s known Harry for years and they’ve had a normal acquaintance level relationship that Louis has with the majority of his classmates the entire time. The only difference is that Harry is a great deal more attractive and he likes boys. And now he seems to maybe like Louis, if Louis hasn’t completely lost touch with reality. So he’s feeling sort of weird about this whole thing but also kind of excited.

It doesn’t get much better after Harry pays for them both, because apparently he’s ridiculous like that.

When their pizza is ready to go and be eaten, he leads Louis to the table against the window that faces the street. Louis’ gone for his usual which is with all the types of nut cheeses they have and shiitake bacon on top.

Harry’s gone with some mess.

“So,” Louis starts after a bite. Apparently he can’t sit and enjoy for a second as his nervousness is only increasing. “First of all, this is not a date.”

Harry fucking snorts. “Course not.”

“This is so fucking good. You probably can’t relate since you’ve got pineapple on yours. Eleanor does the same and it’s a sin. Also, you never told me what you're doing your editorial on.” Louis swallows. “Only if you want to share, though. Nevermind you probably don’t. That’s why you didn’t answer earlier. Nevermind you don’t have to tell me.” He’s mumbling and forcing way too much pizza into his mouth.

“No, no, it’s okay,” Harry says, wiping his hands on his napkin. “I wrote it on the Canadian Prime Minister, actually, and how much of a mess he is.”

Louis laughs, covering his mouth with his the back of his hand. “Interesting.”

Louis doesn’t know much about him, just the odd article on his Facebook feed that he usually skims. He’s about to ask Harry to tell him more except Harry starts up again. “So when’s the next Zumba class?”

Louis nearly chokes on his pizza. “No.” He hasn’t recovered from the last time Harry dropped into class.

Harry barks out a laugh. “Come on. It was fun, right? Bonding and all.”

“Is that what that was?”

Harry nods, with way too much head movement.

“You have to promise not to wear a crop top.” Even though it’s apparently Harry’s mission in life to make Louis miserable by making him blush as much as possible, Louis did miss Harry’s obnoxious moves last class. Eleanor’s a tad better than Louis so he needs Harry there to make him look better.

Harry sticks out his bottom lip an absurd amount. “You didn’t like it?”

Louis takes a bite, shrugging. “I didn’t say that.”

Harry’s eyebrows raise and Louis absolutely flushes. “Oh?”

“Shush, you.” Louis hides behind the piece of pizza he’s holding until Harry’s eyebrows calm down.

They finish up just as the lunch rush starts to pour in, and Louis doesn’t think twice before taking the turn out of the restaurant that brings them the long way back to school. He knows Harry will follow him.

They spend the walk back to school going over bad style choices they’ve both made in the past. Louis shamelessly tells Harry about the time he lost a bet to Eleanor and she made him wear a camo shirt and trousers to her grandmother’s birthday dinner, but Harry wins by a landslide with his terrible purple trainers and matching trousers that he keeps a photo of on his phone.

And then Harry tries to convince Louis to wear one of his crop tops to a Zumba class. Meaning, he has multiple of those things sitting at home. Louis for some unknown reason tells him he will wear it only in front of Harry and only if he lets Louis wear a pair of sparkly boots with it.

They make it back to school a couple minutes before English starts, and part ways to go to their own lockers.

It gives Louis a moment to recoup and reflect, but all that goes through his head is a string of _what the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck._

Because Harry is really sweet and good company and Louis doesn’t know what to do with a cute boys that give him attention.

He makes it to English first and finds his usual spot in the middle off to the right side of the room, exactly where he prefers to be.

He doesn’t have enough time to prepare new compliments veiled as insults before Harry hops in the seat next to Louis’ as per usual now. After Harry shows Louis more disastrous photos of him and his youth with his ridiculous clothes that he has an entire folder dedicated to on his phone, English flies by, all with Harry’s grin peeking into Louis’ peripheral.

Louis’ almost sure he’s got a similar one on his face. Why? He has no fucking clue, but it pretty much stays like that for the rest of the day. Eleanor doesn’t mention his good mood, but she keeps giving him the eye when they’re not completely distracted by the possibly disastrous donuts they’re trying to make.

And after parting ways with Eleanor as they both head to their lockers, he walks out of the school with his earphones in and eyes up.

He’s not looking for Harry but he’s not _not_ looking for Harry.

God, this is the exact type of thing his mum said he didn’t need right before getting into university.

This might be his first serious crush which is probably terrible.

He’s had the odd that-boy-is-cute crush. Like when they were fifteen and Harry said “amazing job” to him after his performance in the school musical and he thought about it for a solid month.

This is the first time it feels like it might go somewhere. Where? He doesn’t know. He’s clearly never done this before, and he’s almost convinced it’s all in his head and that Harry is just extremely friendly. He probably tells all his friends to wear crop tops.

“Hi,” Louis hears, but moreso _feels_ against his ear, pulling him out from his annoying brain but also making him jump and rip out his earbuds.

“God.” He turns to find Eleanor’s annoying smirk. “Hi.”

“Hi,” she says again, staring at him like she can read his mind.

“Hi.” Louis roll his eyes, walking towards his car in the lot.

Eleanor quickly catches up. “Did I mention how above average you look today?” Why couldn’t he have been blessed with a less perceptive best friend.

“Wow. Thanks,” he smiles while they both lean against the fence next to Louis’ car waiting for Lottie as they do everyday after school.

He put on his favourite shirt, a yellow long sleeve mock neck that Lottie bought him for Christmas last year, and spent at least ten more minutes on his hair than usual this morning. He better look fucking unbelievable.

He keeps his eyes out while Eleanor starts ranting about this kid in her religious studies class like she does everyday when they wait for Lottie. It’s turned into one of Louis’ favourite times of the day, as every single class this kid says something more and more ridiculous than the day before. Today, she only gets a solid minute in before she starts smiling over Louis’ shoulder. “Some boy’s coming over here.”

“Who?” Louis sighs, looking over his shoulder, ready to fight anyone off.

But it’s Harry.

That’s… not ideal.

But not completely unwelcome.

“He’s cute, who is that?” Eleanor is still there. And Harry is still walking closer with a weird, kind of cute smile on his face.

“Harry,” Louis mumbles, turning back to Eleanor. “That guy I was telling you about.”

Eleanor smiles widens. “He’s almost here.”

“God, shush.” Louis shakes his head, turning back around to see Harry stopping right behind him. His dream of Harry heading for someone else shattered.

“Hi, Lou.” He is smiling way too wide.

And he said Lou. Which is fun.

“Hey.” He couldn’t come up with a nickname that isn’t hair related before it would have gotten awkward, so a simple hey will have to suffice.

He’s so distracted by this lack of a nickname and how Harry needs one that he doesn't notice Eleanor making her way past him to stick her hand out to Harry.

“Hi, I’m Eleanor. You must be the pretty kid with the curly hair and dimples that Louis mentioned.”

And what the fuck was that.

No Filter El will be her new nickname.

“Hi,” Harry greets warmly, shaking her hand, entirely too smug.

Louis knows his face is completely red. “I don’t have to give you a ride,” he directs at Eleanor, pushing himself between her and Harry. He knows Eleanor and Harry would get along great, but there is a time and place and that time is after Louis has already had the chance to ruin things and doesn’t.

“Shush, shush,” Eleanor shoves him off, grabbing his keys from his pocket before getting into his car to leave them alone.

That’s only a slightly better situation.

He was proud of how much he didn’t make himself look like a fool in front of Harry on their lunch out and the class following. He was ready to go home with a check mark next to his _successfully talked to Harry Styles and didn’t make a fool of myself_ box.

Now he has to talk to Harry again. Which means another chance to possibly ruin it. Whatever it is. His dignity, his life.

Louis looks back at Harry to see him smiling, of course. “Hi,” he opens his smile wider.

“She’s joking,” Louis tells him firmly. And yet again it seems like Harry’s smile widens at Louis’ words.

“With dimples.” He’s wearing sunglasses which is completely unfair. And his shirt is blowing in the wind and everything about him is distracting.

“What, you didn’t know?” Louis’ eyes flicker to both Harry’s dimples. Both out in full force.

“I think you’re pretty too.”

Louis barks out a laugh, holding up his hand, palm out, at Harry. “Oh my god, shut up, no.” This man is making Louis a mess. How does anyone react to something like that? Probably a thank you to start, but here Louis is.

Harry laughs along, eyes glued on Louis’, and it gets awkward for a couple seconds.

“Anyway, I just wanted to say I had fun today,” Harry hums with a softer smile forming.

Of course he went out of his way just to tell that to Louis.

“Well thank you, so did I.” Louis nods.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Louis nods, again, trying to find something to say or hoping Harry will take his leave so this conversation can end on a somewhat positive note.

He doesn’t though. And Louis says the first thing to pop into his head. “What’s your opinion on donuts?”

Harry nods with a little pout slash thoughtful look on his face. Louis doesn’t know why but it’s cute. Ish. “Fairly positive.”

Louis opens his bag, taking out the leftover donuts from class today. There is not much considering Eleanor and him downed the majority in class as usual. “We made donuts in Foods today and I have some extra. If you want.”

“I would love a donut made by you.” He looks like a kid getting his first donut which is ridiculous, because even if they taste alright they look less than decent. But that’s okay, because it’s the inside that counts.

“If they’re bad, it’s Eleanor's fault. If it’s good, it was all me,” Louis jokes.

“Sounds good,” Harry agrees.

Harry doesn’t look fazed by the appearance when Louis opens the bag up so that’s all that matters. “Here, this one reminds me of you.” Louis grabs the one on the bottom with pink sprinkles and hands it to Harry before grabbing another for himself to have.

“Yeah?” Harry inspects the donut with his eyebrows raised.

“With the, like, sprinkles. Reminds me of that shirt you wore.” He wore it the first day of class and it was the first thing Louis saw the second he walked into History class.

Harry just raises his eyebrow more.

“Eating your fucking donut,” Louis mumbles before taking a bite of his own.

Harry takes an entirely too large of a bite, consuming almost half the donut in one go.

But to each their own.

Louis waits for the verdict even though he knows Harry will lie if he doesn’t like it. So he waits for a nice compliment to eat up.

“It’s delicious,” Harry nearly moans. Which is a ridiculous thing to do. For many reasons. One because Louis doesn’t need that. Two because they’re not that good.

“You’re welcome.” Louis smiles.

“Thanks, Louis,” Harry says after another bite.

He’s dropping sprinkles everywhere with seemingly no care of doing so. The world can always use more pink sprinkles, Louis supposes. “Do you want me to watch you eat the rest of it or can I go?”

Harry barks out a laugh, covering his mouth with his hand and nodding. “See you, yeah?”

Louis rolls his eyes. A complete contrast with the ridiculous smile he knows he’s sporting. “Bye, Harry.”

Louis waits a decent ten seconds after Harry starts walking off with his donut towards his car before getting in his own to see Eleanor laughing to herself. “What the fuck was that?”

“Stop,” Louis laughs, sticking his face in his hands. He thought it was at least some what smooth. The way to a boys heart is his stomach and all. He doesn’t say that to Eleanor, since she would probably only make fun of him more.

“Oh my god, Louis.”

Louis sits back into his seat. “Oh my god, he’s so cute?” Louis firmly believes Harry only exists to make Louis’ life ten times more difficult by being the most adorable human being in the world.

“Louis, ask him out!” Eleanor yells, slapping her hand against his thigh.

Louis just told Harry their pizza outing was not a date so he can’t ask Harry on a date for at least a day. That should be good. “He’s weird though,” Louis says turning to face Eleanor. Eleanor needs to talk him out of this. Boys are bad news. Boys lie.

Probably not Harry. Harry’s probably the exception to everything ever.

“Exactly.” Eleanor looks a little too happy. Probably because she thought Louis would die alone. Or maybe it’s just Louis that thought that and he’s projecting.

Louis laughs into his palms some more because the situation warrants a lot of that apparently.

“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do,” Eleanor starts.

“No.”

Eleanor takes out her phone. A bad sign. “Put on Ed Sheeran’s cover of Pony and we’ll do a smooth drive by, okay.” She motions to wear Harry’s is sitting against his car with a couple of friends near the exit of the lot.

“Oh my god.” Louis shakes his head. If this were someone Eleanor was crushing on, Louis would be down with that plan one hundred percent, but no. “Where’s Lottie?” He turns his head back to the school hoping she’ll save him from Eleanor.

“Right there, calm down.” Eleanor flicks her hand.

And there she is, thank god, walking towards them with her hands on her backpack and not a care in the world.

“Hi,” she smiles as she gets in the back of the car. “Do you have any treats today?”

“Louis has a boyfriend,” Eleanor yells, almost cutting Lottie off.

“What!” And immediately food is forgotten.

“That boy, right there.” Eleanor points to Harry for Lottie to look over at.

“Louis,” Lottie yells, slapping Louis’ arm.

“Shush, you two. I’ve only had like maybe five full conversations with the kid,” Louis breathes out a nervous laugh. He throws back his bag of donuts before starting up the car to pull out.

“Well that’s the point of a date though, isn’t it? Get to know him,” Lottie says while grabbing out a donut. 

“Okay, enough, enough. I need silence while I drive. Peace and quiet,” he orders while turning up the radio, not playing any version of Pony.

“We're just happy you’re so happy, Lou Lou.”

Louis smiles but keeps his eyes on the road, only shifting slightly when they pass Harry.

  



	2. Chapter 2

So. Harry kind of likes Louis a bit. A lot a bit.

He’s past his that-guy-in-class-is-really-cute-and-funny-and-I-would-marry-him-if-he-asked stage to he-is-proper-sweet-and-makes-me-laugh-and-smile-and-just-really-happy-and-I-look-forward-to-seeing-him-every-day stage.

Which might be a problem. It might not be though. He’s almost certain Louis at least somewhat likes him back. 

He blushes a lot. Harry has definitely noticed. 

Which must be a good sign.

It’s not the only sign but it’s the only sign Harry can articulate. He just kind of feels it with Louis and he feels like Louis does too. They fit, plain and simply. 

But just to be sure anyway he decides to track down Lottie at the end of the day in the halls to bug her about Louis.

All he has to work with is that her locker is “fucking miles” away from the parking lot as Louis told him on their way back from pizza the other day. He quickly runs to his locker to grab what he needs, before heading in the opposite direction of the exit.

He almost turns around five times to go find Louis and grab whatever they made in Foods class today and make Louis laugh. But then he convinces himself that he doesn’t want to come on too strong if Louis isn’t into this at all. 

Harry eventually finds Lottie in the corner of the building that is yes, furthest from the parking lot. She’s with Tommy, sifting through her locker slowly. “Lottie,” he says approaching. “Hi.” He waves at them both. 

She looks up to find him, smiling when they make eye contact. “Hi, Harry. How’s it going?” 

“Good, yeah, good. I just wanted to see if Louis has said anything? About me? To you?”

He was planning on gradually getting to the Louis topic, but that works too.

She raises her eyebrows before turning back towards her locker, grabbing her jacket now. “Like what?” 

“I don’t know.” He leans into the locker beside Lottie’s, fidgeting his fingers against his lips. “Like is he into me?” 

Lottie shrugs—that’s it—with her eyes still in her locker.

“What?” Harry stands up straight. Okay maybe he was wrong. Louis probably hates him. Probably only give him treats to get Harry to leave him alone.

“I’m kidding, god,” she smiles with her tongue between her teeth. “Yeah, he fucking likes you. It’s a little ridiculous. Was singing love songs in the shower this morning and all.”

Harry absolutely beams.

He refrains from asking which songs, only just. Mostly because he’d have to stop smiling so wide to do that.

“But, yeah, um, he really likes you, Harry.” Lottie gives him a quiet smile. Maybe a little knowing too. He’s just an open fucking book, isn’t he.

“Good,” Harry nods, biting his lip, “that’s good, yeah?”

“It’s nice to see him like that, yeah. But I should go, they made croissants in Foods today. I need to grab one before Louis eats them all. See you around, yeah?”

“Or maybe I’ll convince Louis to give me the last one,” Harry says, running off, not waiting to see where Lottie is behind him. This way maybe Louis won’t be waiting for ages if Lottie’s quick behind him, he might get a croissant, and he’ll get to see Louis. 

*

“Go, go, go,” Eleanor says, pushing Louis much too forcefully.

That’s not the problem. 

The problem is that the direction she’s pushing him in is directly towards Harry Styles, plus a couple of other kids surrounding him a couple lockers down.

“I’m going.” Louis gently brushes Eleanor’s hands away and back. Because he knows how to do things that way. “God.” 

He breathes in. 

It’s most likely his last breath so he makes it good.

And then out.

And then he is walking. His feet are moving.

Okay, Harry has officially seen him. Louis could just walk past him. But then Harry starts turning around. 

Now he’s completely facing Louis. 

Why must he look this good absolutely every fucking day. 

It takes a second for his mouth to move when he stops in front of Harry. It’s Harry fault though. “Hi, Harry.” 

He doesn’t know why he said his name. 

“Hi,” Harry smiles. It’s a ridiculous smile, really. They talked today in History this morning, so there is no need to be as excited as Harry looks right now. Or as nervous as Louis feels right now. But Harry just keeps smiling at Louis. 

His friends are doing a terrible job of trying to look like they’re not listening. 

“Okay, bye.” Louis turns around, ready to tell Eleanor off for putting this terrible idea in his head.

“Lou, wait!” He can hear Harry yelling behind him right as he softly touches Louis’ shoulder before coming right in front of him, still with that ridiculous smile. “What’s up?”

“Hi,” is all Louis says.

“Hi.” Forget telling Eleanor off, Louis needs to tell Harry off for that smile of his. 

“Sorry, I’m weird at this,” he says with some awkward hand movement for a nice touch, “bad at this.” That probably implies that Louis has actually done this before. Which is false. Not at all true. The closest he’s come to this was when he was twelve and asked Harry for a pencil.

“This?” Harry raises his eyebrows. Still. Smiling.

“And you’re making fun of me.” Louis breathes out, looking down at his feet. Now would be an excellent time for the ground to open up and swallow him up. Or even better, Eleanor, for making him do this.

“No! Hey, what’s up?” This boy. This sincere, sweet, completely unendearing boy.

“I don’t know. Just hi.”

“Hi,” Harry breathes out on a laugh. He bows his head down, rocking from foot to foot before looking back up at Louis. “Did you want to go for coffee tonight?” He asks. 

Louis almost says no, because how could Harry asks something like that so casually when Louis has been flipping tables all day at the thought of similar words coming out of his mouth.

He doesn’t though because a bigger part of him is shooting fireworks out of his arse. 

So he nods. “We should do that.”

Harry laughs again. “Okay.”

“Okay.” Louis is still nodding for some reason. So he stops. 

“Mhm.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m going to go, yeah. And grab my shit for English and then I will see you. In English,” Louis says, pointing in a direction that is not towards his locker, where his shit lies. 

Clearly Harry has somehow taken away Louis’ sense of direction.

“Looking forward to it.” God, that smile.

“Cool. Bye,” Louis starts toward the direction where his locker actually is.

“Bye, Louis,” Louis hears Harry call from behind him. He can hear the smile in his voice.

*

Harry is pretty sure he is broken.

He can’t stop giggling for the rest of the day.

*

So.

Seven o-clock. 

They decided in English class that seven will be the beginning of this date thing occurring this very night.

So.

Harry will be here at seven to pick Louis up.

Louis got home in somewhat of a daze with Eleanor and Lottie screaming at him all the way back. And he’s still in a mild version of said daze hours later.

So he now has two more hours to freak out.

And freak out he does. 

He does a total of five laps around his living room, before he decides to head to the kitchen for a glass of water, or a glass of vodka. He's not picky.

He's probably being slightly ridiculous. Harry and him sit next to each other every day in English. And they've gone for pizza together. And done Zumba together, so they're practically married.

But this is a date. Kind of. Maybe. And Louis has never really been on one of those before. And Harry's the only person he's ever wanted to go on a date with. He would be fine to only ever go on dates with Harry for the rest of his life.

So he’ll freak out some more and then go on an amazing date and wonder why he ever did.

But that is then and this is now.

So, still freaking out.

He finds his mum sitting at the island reading on her tablet when he eventually gets to the kitchen. 

“Hi, mum.” He waves weakly before grabbing some water from the fridge. The vodka can be saved for later in case this thing turns into a disaster. 

“Hi, love. Come sit with me,” Jay tells him. 

Louis grabs the seat next to hers, pushing the chair closer to her side. His mum is exactly what he needs right now.

He leans in, skimming the word on her news app over her shoulder. They end up sitting in silence until Louis downs half the glass and by this time Jay is already looking over at him expectantly. 

He turns away from her, throwing his face in his arms. “So,” he starts, “you know how you made that fool proof plan about Lottie not dating until I did?”

“Is she getting on your nerve about it? I’ll tell her it as a joke, hun,” she laughs, sticking her hand out on top of Louis’ arm, “don’t worry about it.” 

“Well, I mean yes.” Not as much as Louis expected, but. “She has been on my case.” Louis shifts his head to the side, willing his mum to understand and say it so he doesn’t have to. “That’s not really the problem. I mean there is no problem, actually.” Only really good things. Except for Louis’ nerves which he can nearly feel radiating off of him.

Either Jay is not picking it up or she thinks Louis wants to actually tell her himself, because she sits patiently with her eyes on him with her hand moving down Louis’ arm to grab his hand. 

“I have a date,” he gets out. “Tonight.”

Her smile grows and grows and grows. He can feel his cheeks blush and immediately hides his face in his arm that Jay is currently not gripping onto. “Hun. Who’s got you all blushy like this?”

“His name is Harry,” he whispers.

He stays with Jay the rest of the afternoon, mostly just continuing to freak out about his date thing—he goes on to call it—plus going on about Harry to her which Louis blushes all the way through. Jay smiles at all the right parts and tells him all the mum things to say like just be yourself, don’t have sex on the first date, boys are trouble, and don’t do anything she wouldn’t do, whatever that means. 

They stay huddled up in the kitchen all the way up until Harry texts him that he’s on his way and Louis runs up to his room to quickly fix his hair and throw on something new.

“How does this look?” He asks when he comes back down the stairs. He’s in his new navy plaid trousers with a red long sleeve thrown on and he kind of feels like he looks great. He’s been saving this outfit for a special event and this seems like exactly that kind of event he’s been thinking of.

“Perfect, love,” Jay tells him. But what else would she say. She bought him these trousers, of course she likes them.

He almost considers sending Eleanor a picture so she can reassure him some more. But then Harry’s car is pulling up to the house and he only has time to read Eleanor’s  _ have fun and make good choices _ text followed up by  _ i love you  _ with a bunch of hearts with multiple more less appropriate emojis following.

“Okay, goodbye, goodbye,” he says before running out of the kitchen to stick on his shoes.

“Love you!” Jay calls after him.

“You too!” Louis yells as he rushes out of the door. He’s definitely not ready to introduce Harry to Jay so he doesn't want to give Harry time to do something ridiculous like knock on the door. He’ll have another free afternoon to freak out about that another time.

He tries his best not to run straight into Harry’s car once he gets outside. But he can already see Harry smiling at him from his car. So it’s tempting.

“Hello good sir,” Harry calls out the open passenger window. He’s missing a top hat. 

Louis rolls his eyes with a short giggle sound that he’s never made before. “Hi.” Louis licks his lips, opening the door to settle into Harry’s car.

He feels a little ridiculous with how much of a nervous wreck he has been all day the second he settles into his seat. He feels, still giddy and blushy, but mostly really happy and excited. Harry’s huge calm smile is taking up half of his face and everything kind of feels perfect. And they haven’t even left Louis’ house.

“Hi,” Harry says. 

He’s changed as well. Thankfully, he’s not in a crop top, but not so thankfully he does have his tits out seeing as he’s only done up two or three of his shirt’s buttons. Also it’s lace. He’s got on a white lace top tucked into black trousers rolled up a few times at the bottom. 

He looks like this is a date. 

“Yes, hi,” Louis laughs as they pull away from Louis’ house. Everything about this feels like a date. 

Harry’s got the radio on low with him humming over it. Also his car smells like a fucking forest. 

He looks over at Louis a couple times before speaking. “You look really nice.”

Thank the lord it is at least somewhat dark so Louis can hide his face. “Thank you, thanks. You too,” he says back. 

He feels extremely underprepared for this. He also feels a little too excited. Harry’s going on about Mr. Mason and their latest disaster of a class and all Louis can think about is how even though they’ve never done this before—the whole after school, driving together thing—it still feels familiar. The easiness is still there. 

They’ve only been driving a little over five minutes or so and Louis is already almost certain he knows where they are going, but he asks anyway during a break in conversation. “So, where are you taking me?” Looking out the window at the familiar street.

Harry doesn’t turn to face Louis, just fucking smiles. “Is The Roastery okay?”

“Yes.” That’s Louis’ favourite cafe. “I don’t know how you know that that’s my favourite cafe, but I can tell you do by that dumb grin on your face.”

“Maybe it’s just a lucky guess,” he shrugs.

“Doubt it,” Louis scoffs. It wouldn’t exactly be hard to find out. He’s sure Eleanor or Lottie would have jumped at the opportunity to help if Harry had asked either of them. They are meddlers, those two.

The radio continues to hum as Harry pulls into the parking lot at The Roastery. It’s quiet, as it usually is at this time. Louis is not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing yet. He doesn’t want it loud enough that they can’t hear each other but he doesn’t want dead silence. 

At least it means they’ll get a spot up close though.

The air is cold as he steps out of the car and his nerves pick up again slightly when Harry holds open the entrance door for him before he places a hand on Louis’ back. It can’t be the first time that they’ve made physical contact but Louis cheeks reacts like it is. Of course Harry notices and just steps in closer to Louis as they walk farther in.

“I’ll grab the tea, do you want to find a seat?” Harry asks, extending his arm but still keeping contact and stepping slightly towards the till.

Louis almost argues, but Harry looks ready to argue back. Louis’ only source of money right now is coming from the the kids community drama class he teaches at the school near his house, and Louis already waists enough money here as it is. “Sure,” Louis nods with a little smile. He’ll fight Harry for the bill next date.

“Be back,” Harry says, finally taking his hand off of Louis.

“What, you know my order too?” Louis doesn’t at all doubt that he does.

Harry laughs, turning back towards Louis. “You bring Yorkshire tea to class everyday, Louis.”

So he’s observant. 

Louis waves him off with a smirk, heading directly towards the corner seat without responding. It’s his designated spot for whenever he comes here either with Eleanor or on his own to study and he takes his usual seat on the bench and leaves the chair across from it for Harry. 

He rocks his feet back and forth, watching Harry charm the barista while taking five minutes to decide on a drink for himself. 

He’s been trying to catalogue a list of things to talk about but all he’s come up with is the wonderings of what Mr. Arle or Mr. Mason might look like in the shirt Harry’s currently wearing. 

Louis pulls out his phone after deciding he doesn’t need to keep staring at Harry and thinking about his shirt for any longer, despite being a little interested in doing exactly that. He ends up texting Eleanor back, telling her about the tits-out lace shirt and Harry being the perfect date so far.

He wants to take it back the second he presses send because that’s also the second that Harry sits down across from him and slides over a cup of something that is distinctly not Yorkshire tea. 

He’s not sure it’s tea at all.

“I asked for black tea, what is this?” Louis sniffs it. Definitely coffee of some sort. “Harry.” With foam. “I’m not drinking this.”

“It’s good. I promise,” he says while sipping on his own drink. “Also Lottie told me you like coconut milk.” So his sister is the traitor. But that’s nice of him to ask.

Louis sniffs it again. “Are you going to hold my hair back when I throw up.” He decides at the last second it’s probably not good first date manners to lick the drink. 

“Yes.” Harry says immediately, casually,  _ too _ casually.

Louis barks out a laugh. “So you think I’ll throw up, then?”

“No, god,” Harry laugh along, “stop being a little shit and try it.”

Louis glares before he takes a slow sip with cautious eyes still staring at Harry.

It’s a bit good, and that won’t do so he immediately sets the drink down and coughs into his hands.

“You’re joking, right?” Harry raises his eyebrows, looking somewhat ready to hop out of his chair, but Louis starts giggling before he actually does. 

“Louis.” Harry deadpans. 

“That was a test.” Louis points at Harry. “You failed.” He could have died.

“What would you have even choked on?”

“Thanks for letting me hypothetically die.” Louis takes another sip ignoring his comment.

“You're ridiculous.” And then he fucking pouts. 

“Thanks.” Louis laughs at Harry, mostly to distract himself from that pout of his. “And it's not awful.” It’s lavender which is another favourite of Louis’, probably Lottie’s doing again. It’s still on the sweet side for Louis, but he’ll drink it.

“Yeah, I told you,” Harry says, reaching back into his bag. “But I also got you this.” It’s a box of Yorkshire tea bags that the cafe sells buy the till. “Allie said she’ll just give you some hot water if you want.” Of course he is already on a first name basis with the barista. 

“Thanks,” Louis says through his smile, taking the box from Harry and leaving it beside his current drink. He’ll have to take Allie up on her offer of some hot water since she made this latte for him despite knowing how he feels about his tea considering he’s here so often.

Louis just about brings up Harry’s shirt after a few seconds of silence but before he gets anything out and embaresses himself, Harry’s on it with his Q and A. “So who is your favourite Kardashian?” 

“Is this part of your first date questionnaire?” Louis wouldn’t be surprised if Harry pulled out an entire stack of paper for him to answer next. And he would do every question of it.

“Yes, exactly.” Harry smiles, leaning back in his chair.

“It’s Kourtney.” Louis answers easily.

Harry smirks and Louis can tell he passed. Unlike Harry and his own text.

Which is good. Louis would have been concerned if Harry’s answer was anything different.

“Is it my turn to ask a question then?”

Harry nods. “Go for it.”

Louis tries to come up with something equally as ridiculous as Harry’s question but instead asks something he genuinely curious about. “What do you want to do when you're older?”

“More of this,” Harry says, looking down at their drinks with his dimples out. “This is good.”

“Shush, you,” Louis breathes out on a laugh instead of eagerly agreeing. 

It’s just easy is the thing. Everything with Harry feels really easy but even if it didn’t Louis would make the effort with Harry. 

“Um, a vet, maybe,” Harry answers again.

“Like a veterinarian?” Of course Harry just wants to save animals and be a good human being.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s kind of one of those things I’ve dreamed about since I was a kid except I still haven’t grown out of it yet.” 

“I think that’s really cool.” Louis wanted to be a vet for about a half a day when he was ten after his cat got an infection. Louis wanted to be the one to fix it but once they actually got to the vet and his cat started whining Louis burst into tears and he decided being a vet has not for him.

“And you?” Harry asks.

“A teacher,” Louis nods. He doesn’t know if that’s as exciting as a vet but Louis knows it’s something he’ll adore doing. 

“Yeah? I think you’d be a great teacher,” Harry tells him. 

“Thanks,” Louis says, likely blushing through it because that’s something he does now apparently. “I’d like to think so. Maybe. It’s just that, well, you know those couple of teachers that just really have an impact on your entire life? I just think teachers can have such a huge influence. I’ve had some of those and I think it would be great to be that for someone else. Even if it’s just for one person.” He finishes with his cup up to his mouth. He gets a good mix of people either telling him how ridiculous he is and how he wouldn’t be any good with that versus the few people telling him they know he’ll do great and that he should go for it. Of course, Harry is the latter. 

“You’ll be an amazing teacher, Lou. As long as it’s not for Foods, of course,” he says into his tea cup. His smile is covered by the cup but his dimples are sticking out like crazy.

“Yeah, yeah,” Louis scoffs. “You said you loved my donuts.”

At least Harry didn’t get the privileged opportunity to taste the pancakes they made today. Louis and Eleanor had to drown them in syrup before they were even half decent. 

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding,” Harry holds his hands up at Louis. “The donuts were excellent. How could they not be when mine had pink sprinkles on it.”

“Exactly,” Louis smiles back at Harry. “No, but Drama is the plan.” He’s had the most amazing Drama teachers that have done nothing but encourage and support him. Especially Ms. Davis this year, helping him out with applications and what not.

“Of course, yeah, would you go to school here?” 

He’ll give Harry points for subtlety.

“London is the plan.” Always has been. He loves it here, but London has always been where he thought he’d end up. Maybe he’ll feel differently after living there, but London is one of his favourite places to be. 

Harry smiles, sipping his drink before he responds. “Same, my sister’s in London right now and every time I get the chance, I visit her. Absolutely love it there.”

Louis smiles, trying not to get ahead of himself. “Do you get on with your family then?”

“Yeah, yeah, really well,” Harry says with a soft smile.

And three hours later they haven’t run out of things to talk about.

Harry tells Louis about his family and the adventures he’s run into when he visits his sister, and how excited he is about his upcoming trip at the end of the month. 

Louis tells Harry about his mum and sister too, and how nervous he is to be away from them next year. It’s made him question leaving, but he knows Jay would never let him do that. She’s always supported Louis’ big London plan, even when it seemed ages away to Louis.

They somehow get on the topic of sleeping in the nude and how they are both partial towards doing so. And that somehow moves onto a lively discussion of Twilight, mostly about how much better it would have been if Edward and Bella were lesbians. 

Twenty minutes into the Twilight discourse Allie comes to kick them out so she can close the place down. 

And Louis isn’t ready to leave. 

He feels like he could go for another three hours at least, and Harry looks just as reluctant to leave. 

Nonetheless, they start packing up quickly as Allie cleans up around them. 

Louis quickly grabs some hot water for the road, as he still needs his nightly cup of Yorkshire, and then it’s back to Harry’s car along with some leftover treats Allie forced them to take.

The weather is dreadful and Harry’s car takes a decent amount of time to heat up and the light drizzle outside probably ruined Louis’ hair completely, but this one of Louis’ favourite nights he’s ever had. They’re both a tad giggly for no reason at all, and Louis ends up spilling his boiling hot water while trying to get his tea bag in it because he’s too shaky and distracted.

He didn’t expect a disaster of course, but he didn’t really prepare for it to be like this. To not want to go home. 

The car ride home is too short. Harry spends most of it continuing on with his little rant about Twilight until they get back to Louis’ house and then he continues on some more with Louis attentively sitting and watching Harry, casually sipping his tea with his legs tucked up underneath him.

It doesn’t feel like it’s time to say goodbye quite yet, even though Louis could probably fall asleep in seconds. 

He can see the light still on inside the house. Jay’s probably fallen asleep waiting up for him. Or Lottie might have successfully waited up for him but he turns back, hoping to be able to stall a few more minutes at least. 

And there’s Harry beside him, smiling with Louis’ cup of tea at his lips, looking like he’s not ready to let Louis go quite yet.

They stay like that for another hour or so, passing Louis’ to-go cup of yorkshire between the two of them, even after it gets cold and even though it’s much too strong because they didn’t have anywhere to throw away the tea bag. 

Caffeine at this hour and Louis is not a good combination even though it’s a mostly a regular occurrence, but Harry and Louis is a good combination so that cancels that out. 

“So, was date one good enough for another?” Harry asks after a yawn that he tries to cover in his shoulder. They’ve both just pretty much been yawning in each other’s faces for the last couple of minutes but Harry hasn’t kicked him out yet either.

Louis blushes, hiding his face behind his cup. “Is that what this was?” Louis is not sure of the difference between a date and a date thing but he knows there is one.

Harry nods firmly. “Friday? Maybe?” He looks a little nervous even though this afternoon he didn’t seem like he had a nervous bone in his body when he asked Louis to come to this shindig, but moreso, he just looks like he’d really like to go on another date with Louis.

“Friday works, yes,” Louis laughs because Harry’s so good at this and he is so not and for some reason he still really wants to do this.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?” Harry smirks as Louis yawns yet again.

Louis nods, reaching for the door. It feels easier to leave knowing that they have plans to do this again. “Bye, Harry.”

“Bye, Louis,” Harry leans over, waving to Louis after he’s hopped out of the car.

Louis waves back before walking towards his house with as much grace and sex appeal as he can manage while still looking somewhat casual and having next to zero energy. He must do okay though, because Harry’s honking his horn before pulling away from the house.

It’s quiet when he gets inside, Jay and Lottie either asleep or close to it since it’s near midnight. He walks in quietly, careful not to wake anyone and have to go through an integration of the night. But he feels like he’s going to break his face with this smile tacked on, so the second he gets into his room he calls Eleanor.

“Hi–”

“Hi, he made me drink a fucking latte but I still said yes to a second date,” Louis rushes out. It’s sounds even more ridiculous when he says it out loud. But the thought of the second date fills Louis’ mind and then that’s all he’s thinking about.

He can hear Eleanor snickering on the other side of the line. “I’m sorry who is this?”

“I like him, God, what do I do?” Louis flops face first into his bed.

“He obviously likes you to, hun. Do what you’ve been doing.”

Terrible advice, Eleanor gives. Louis barely even knows what he’s been doing. “This is scary. How do people do this regularly?” Except the thought of going for coffee with Harry regularly is something he would die to get used to. Especially after a while when they’ve become familiar enough with each other that Louis will drink Harry’s ugly lattes because he trusts him enough to not let him die.

“Tell me about the date,” Eleanor says.

Louis turns around facing his ceiling with a huge smile plastered on his face. “It was so good, Eleanor.”

*

“That was a terrible movie.” Louis jumps into Harry's space the second they get out of the theatre.

“Shhh… It– has a niche appeal,” Harry laughs, guiding Louis toward his car.

“Mhm, it sucked.”

So Harry is not great at movie date pickings evidently. He wanted to take Louis to the fancy indie theatre though, which unfortunately means that it mostly only shows movies that don’t make it to the big theatres. Not always because they are bad but… yeah, maybe so in this case.

Harry had made sure that this show was okay with Louis at least two times over this past week during English class, so Louis must take at least half the blame since he said both times that he was a-okay with the movie Harry picked.

After their coffee date everything has felt like smooth sailing. Louis had found Harry every day after school this past week to give him Eleanor and his’ food creations of the day. Everything was great, except for the scone that Louis made him eat knowing that it was not his best work considering he started laughing at Harry when he tried to tell Louis it was great.

“Yeah, but like you got to sit next to me for ninety minutes,” Harry reasons, smiling wide.

Louis breathes out a laugh, bumping into Harry’s side. “In silence, yeah.”

“You just want to get to know me,” Harry smiles, bumping Louis back. “That it? You’re grumpy because you couldn’t ask me twenty questions.” Louis laughs, pressing his face against Harry’s shoulder, probably to hide his very visible blush. All it does is make both of them stagger across the sidewalk. “You like me.” Harry grabs around Louis’ waist to steady them both.

“Aren’t you full of yourself,” Louis snorts, skipping ahead of Harry.

“You like me.” Harry chases after him and of course Louis puts on his breaks and Harry runs right into his back making them both stumble forward and Harry immediately wraps his arms around Louis’ waist.

They continue stumbling forward awkwardly and Louis keeps letting out small giggly breaths when either of them misstep, which is very often. “If I say yes,” he turns his head towards Harry, still in his grip, “are you gonna kiss me goodnight?”

“We’ll see,” Harry says squeezing Louis’ waist as they continue towards the car.

Harry kind of, really, terribly wants to kiss Louis. He was planning to show interest in that area tonight, until he went up to pay for their tickets and took out the money Lottie gave him. And he also quickly remembered his friends all telling him earlier in the day that he’s a fucking idiot when he told them he was taking Louis out again tonight. 

He can’t kiss Louis tonight while Lottie is giving him money to be with him.

And now that’s all he can think about. Louis is under the impression that Harry suddenly grew a backbone and asked him out instead of only doing so after he got fucking paid. 

He tries to let Louis distract him while he’s on the way to drop him off. He is still going on about the movie and how horrendous it was and Harry let’s himself laugh along but his nerves pick up as they get closer and closer to Louis’ house. 

It mostly just makes him want to kiss Louis more. He’s never wanted to kiss anyone as badly a he wants to kiss Louis right now. And maybe that’s a little scary, except Louis seems like he’d like to kiss Harry just as much. 

They arrive at Louis’ house just before ten and Harry waits for Louis to say something from where he’s fidgeting in his seat. 

“I had fun tonight, Haz.” Louis looks up at Harry. “I didn’t mean to complain about your date planning skills which, I mean, are mediocre at best. But yeah, I had fun with you anyway.” 

Harry absolutely beams and his stomach does weird things and he wants to kiss this boy. “I had a really good time too, Louis. With you.”

“Okay,” Louis smiles.

“Okay,” Harry smiles.  _ Next time,  _ he wants to say. “I’ll text you tomorrow, yeah?” Next time and then the next time and every time that Louis lets him.

Louis’ smiles morphs into something softer and Harry releases his breath. “Okay. Thanks for tonight, Haz.”

“See you,” Harry waves, waiting for Louis to get inside as he takes his sweet time nearly strutting all the way to his door. 

He knows he said tomorrow, but he already wants to text Louis. 

He restrains himself though, quickly heading home and doing his best not to speed the entire way. He even considers pulling over on the side of the road at least four times.

He makes it home though, in one piece and no run ins with the law.

He throws a quick glance at the time once he’s back in his room before quickly calling Lottie.

“Hello?” She answers.

“Hey,” he breathes, “it’s Harry.”

“Hey! How did the date go? Louis came home absolutely red and grinning ear to ear.”

Harry looks probably close to the same now. He was nervous Louis might be confused why he didn't kiss him. “That's good, that's really good, yeah. I wanted to talk to you about the dates actually.”

“Shoot.”

“I don’t want to date Louis cause you’re paying me,” he rushes out.

“What?”

“I just want to be dating him.” And kissing him. 

“You said you could use the money.”

“But I don’t want to. Use it. I don’t want a motive or anything for why I’m dating him. I just want to be with him like fully, you know?” 

Lottie’s quiet on the other end for a second. “Yeah, course, Harry.”

*

“You’re a bad kisser, is that it?” 

It’s Sunday, which means prime brunch having time that Louis simply can’t let go to waste. Harry also promised that Louis would get complete control over their next date after his last disaster. 

Louis didn’t have to think too hard before dragging Harry to his favourite restaurant at the edge of town with the best brunch selection. Him and his family have been going there for as long as Louis can remember and it’s always his first suggestion for any special event.

Louis ordered for both Harry and himself, and Harry somehow trusted him to do so completely. After getting their meals, they both spent the morning taking little bits from each others’ plates and talking about their favourite movies with vague plans to watch them all sometime together. Harry insisted that when they did they would have to make supper together, because he’s been dying to see Louis in the kitchen. Apparently those are the kinds of fantasies Harry plays out in his head. But Louis has no qualms. 

It was easy. The entire meal went by without any awkward silences and it felt easy, but more importantly just really good, like how it’s supposed to feel. Or how Louis has always imagined it’s supposed to feel. 

Now they’re walking back to Louis’ car with their hands smacking into each others’ as they go. It was an accident the first but hasn’t been since then and every couple of times they wrap their fingers around each others’ for a brief second before swinging them back.

“I can teach you, you know?” Louis leans over into Harry's space, watching their hands. He just really really wants to kiss Harry.

Harry smacks Louis’ hand once more before moving his arm around Louis’ shoulders and pulling him closer. “I can kiss,” Harry laughs, roughing up Louis’ hair. And then combing it back down. 

“Yeah but can you kiss any good?” Louis jumps out of Harry's grip, skipping closer towards his car while humming  _ Show Me _ from  _ My Fair Lady _ . Eleanor told him to leave it alone and let it happen spontaneously but that doesn’t mean he can’t tease Harry a bit too.

Harry follows, like always, grabbing Louis’ waist as soon as he can reach and pushing Louis back against his car. He’ll let Eleanor know his teasing paid off as soon as he gets home and how she knows nothing and should listen to him more often.

Harry’s staring at him. Mostly his lips. Just smiling and staring. 

Louis nerves are nearly completely cancelled out by his excitement while he waits for Harry’s move. 

Eventually, Harry starts leaning forward with his eyes flickering between Louis’ lips and eyes, and Louis keeps trying to resist the smile trying to split his lips open, but Harry’s about to kiss him so at least he’s not giggling.

Louis’ not sure who closes the distance, but suddenly they’re kissing. Louis grabs Harry’s shirt to pull him closer and Harry wraps his arms tighter, and it’s a bit of a mess because Louis did a terrible job of trying not to smile and so did Harry. Their arms keep knocking into each other but it’s also a bit perfect. Very perfect. The only thing Louis can feel is Harry’s hands and lips against him and Harry’s sides under Louis’ hands. And everything else is far away but probably perfect. 

Louis’ eyes keeps opening, and he really needs a photograph of Harry up this close. He’s too close for Louis to really focus his eyes on but he wants to keep this second with him everywhere he goes. 

Eventually they both pull back, grinning like mad and breathing into each others’ mouths. “Not bad–” Louis laughs but the end is cut off by Harry’s lips. “You’re good, you’re good,” Louis gets out between kisses. 

“Yeah?” Harry asks, doing that flickering between Louis’ eyes and mouth thing again. Louis wonders what Harry sees right now, if Louis looks just a happy as Harry does because he feels it. 

“Yeah, yeah. Come here.” Louis presses their lips together, arching off his car, molding himself against Harry’s body. Harry is a great kisser. The best in the entire world. He would win every kissing contest he could find and he’ll tell that all to Harry at a later date. Right now Louis just wants to do more of this.

It’s probably a little much for a parking lot, but Louis will think more on that later. Right now, he’s kind of losing every thought in his head thanks to Harry Styles. This boy. That seems to like him for some reason. And likes to kiss him. And that he wants to keep around.

They break apart after Harry starts laughing in his mouth, and Louis doesn’t know why Harry’s laughing but he laughs along anyway.

“I like kissing you,” Louis tells Harry pressing their mouths together again. 

Harry hums against Louis’ mouth. “I like kissing you.”

“Convenient.” 

*

Harry sits, bouncing his knee, probably annoying every single person in the room, with his eyes on the door waiting for Louis to show up to History class. 

Even if it means he just gets a smile.

The kissing can come later.

It’s Monday, which means the one day anniversary of their first kiss and hopefully the day of their second-ish kiss since they kissed multiple times yesterday which was most likely the best morning of Harry’s life.

He went home and talked on the phone with Gemma for hours, telling her about Louis as he tried to keep the kissing talk to a minimum and that probably didn’t work at all. He could still feel the kiss on his lips, so how could he not. 

The brunch with Louis is definitely something he could get used to as well. Louis appeared at his house bright and early, still with sleepy eyes. He had a small grumpy pout and tried to hold back a couple of yawns until he got his tea and it was probably the most endearing thing Harry’s ever seen.

And then they kissed, and kissed, and kissed and Louis drove him home, letting Harry hook his phone up to Louis’ car to play his own music, and they kissed some more until they both couldn’t kiss without smiling. Then Louis told him to learn to control his lips and that he’d see him tomorrow.

Now it’s tomorrow, and Harry has probably not learned to control his lips one bit.

Eventually Louis rushes in with just under a minute or so to spare, wearing navy trousers with what looks like a vintage baseball shirt, and he immediately finds Harry’s eyes. He tries to smirk but it quickly turns into a full smile and then he sticks his tongue a tad between his teeth. 

Harry tries to control his face, he really does. But he can feel his cheeks flame up and dimples stick out and mouth move all funny. 

Louis’ smile is something else. So really, it’s only a natural reaction to that.

Harry’s mouth only gets more funny when he sees Louis take the long way around to his seat. The long way meaning the path completely out of the way, that isn’t really even in route to his seat at all, just to pass by Harry’s desk. He ends up dropping a note in front of Harry before turning to walk backwards to his desk, sending Harry an attempt at a wink.

Harry has little poise or patience as he opens the note.

_ Lunch date in my car?  _

It looks rushed and messy and Harry starts nodding before he even looks up but after he does Louis is watching him, smiling at him with his lips closed, looking like he’s very much struggling to keep them closed. 

They both stay like that for most of the class, trying not to smile. It’s increasingly more difficult every time Louis turns around for absolutely no reason other than to ruin Harry’s concentration, which he excels at doing. 

They say their quick hellos and goodbyes at the end of class and Louis tells him he’ll meet him right outside at lunch and then they part for their next classes.

“Hi,” Harry says, plopping down next to Sarah, almost out of breath, because apparently his and Louis’ hellos and goodbyes took a lot longer than he thought and he had to rush just a tad. 

“Did you run here or something?”

“Nearly,” he smiles, taking his stuff out on his bag. “Was making plans with Louis for lunch.”

His next classes pass way too slowly, and Harry doesn’t waste a second before getting out of his last one before heading directly towards the front doors that face the parking lot and still somehow, Louis is already there waiting for him. 

“Hi,” Louis smiles. 

Harry can’t do anything but smile back. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Louis says, grabbing Harry’s wrist and starting toward his car at the far side of the lot. 

Slowly his hand keeps moving down and his fingers end up only intertwining with Harry’s a few seconds before they reach Louis’ car and have to separate. 

“Welcome to Louis’ Lot,” Louis  _ giggles _ , with a dramatic sweep toward his car, opening the passenger seat for Harry to hop into.

Harry nods before taking his seat. “My new favourite restaurant.”

“Better be,” Louis gets out before closing the door and walking towards to his own seat. 

Louis seems very set on not sitting like normal people tend to in cars, thus causing the two of them to fumble around for a good chunk of time before they settle. They end up with Louis still actually in the driver seat and with Harry in the passenger but they’re both facing each other with their leg reaching out to rest on each other’s seats.

“So,” Louis starts after they’ve got a decent start on their lunches. “How long have you had a crush on me?” Louis asks with his converse digging into Harry’s arse and mouth full of pasta.

“Excuse me?” Harry asks with his mouth equally as full of his own lunch.

“You know, before you asked me out.” Louis pokes his feet in further. “Was it my yellow jacket that wooed you?” Louis smiles, shimmying his shoulders.

“It was probably a minute or two but yes to the yellow jacket.” Louis has at least three yellow jackets but yes to all three of them. Louis says that yellow is his colour and it definitely is.

“God, you were pining for forever,” Louis giggles, shuffling as much as he can forward and bending his legs so that they cross behind Harry’s back.

Harry automatically leans forward. “It was a long two minutes, that’s for sure.”

It was actually more like a few years. It kind of started with one of the musicals Louis was in when they were younger. Harry doesn’t even remember the musical, he just remembers watching Louis and how he was made for the stage. Liam had dragged him to the show and then Harry ended up going two more times on his own.

“I’m glad you finally plucked up the courage to ask me.” Louis rests his head against Harry’s shoulder. Harry can’t imagine he’s very comfortable with his arse still in the driver’s seat. Harry’s not exactly very comfortable himself. It doesn’t matter though because Louis’ happy Harry asked him out and they’re together and doing this right now.

“Are you?”

“Yeah, you’re one of my favourite people,” Louis says, knocking his head against Harry’s neck, so casually.

“I am?” Harry tries to keep up with the playful tilt to his voice. But his insides are doing some weird dance inside there where they stay.

“You might be like tenth on my list.” Louis turns his head into Harry’s neck, pressing his lips against him and it’s kind of the best feeling in the world.

Harry snorts, grabbing around Louis’ waist and pulling him into Harry’s seat and over him so that he’s straddling Harry’ legs. “I’m your favourite,” he whispers and Louis starts squirming in his lap trying to get comfortable in his new position, and because Harry is definitely his favourite.

“You’re mine too,” Harry tells him after Louis is settled back with his head in Harry’s neck. And they sit just like that for a few minutes, with Louis letting out small breathy laughs against Harry’s neck. “I had a tad crush on you when we were fifteen, actually,” Harry says after a bit.

“Did you?” Louis leans back with a mix of surprise and smug all over his face.

Harry circles his arms tighter around Louis’ waist. “Pretty sure you turned me gay,” Harry says, patting Louis’ waist.

Louis barks out a laugh, falling forward into Harry, stopping a few inches away from Harry’s face, his hands against Harry’s chest to hold him there. “Are you serious?”

Harry nods.

“I was the cause of your gay revelation?” 

Harry breathe out a laugh, still nodding. Because yes, Louis was that for Harry.

“You had your gay wet dreams about me?”

“No! God.” Harry pushes his chin down against his chest away from Louis’ crinkly eyes but he can’t not laugh along with Louis’ breathy giggles. “Just one,” he mumbles. He doesn’t remember the majority of his dreams as a young adolescent but the one with Louis he very much does.

Louis barks out a laugh right in Harry’s face, dipping his head down as much as he can to face Harry. “Harry, I think that’s adorable,” Louis says with his eyes nearly crinkled shut and it does nothing but make Harry laugh along with him. “Can’t wait to tell that at our wedding,” Louis breathes out a laugh, grabbing Harry’s chin to lift up before pressing his lips against Harry. They do that the rest of lunch, with Harry’s heart out of control because Louis said  _ our wedding. _

*

Despite the long hours Louis spends kissing Harry, he is very much not tired of it. 

And apparently that’s a thing that people do, just sitting and kissing.

Including people like Louis and Harry.

It’s probably Louis’ new favourite thing to do and Harry doesn’t seem to mind it all that much. Or at all. Harry loves to kiss Louis. Louis knows this because Harry said the words “I love to kiss you” out loud, in public, to Louis.

Eleanor and Lottie always make fun of them for the quickest of kisses at the beginning or end of the school day, but they’re just being happy and minding their own business. It’s fun, and it’s easy, and he fucking loves it. 

He also wouldn’t mind doing more than kissing. Which he clearly thinks about too much, because he ended up asking Lottie how long is normal until you have sex with someone. So clearly, his mind has exploded or something.

“Excuse me?” She had asked with a toothbrush in her mouth while staring at Louis from the bathroom mirror.

“Nevermind,” Louis had waved her off, returning to his room. Harry and him don’t need normal or Lottie’s input.

They’re currently on Harry’s bedroom floor, which is much too clean for Harry to actually live in. And when Louis told him that, Harry said he had been cleaning the place ever since Louis agreed to come over this morning. Which is more reasonable, but completely unnecessary even though Louis knows he’d do the same thing for Harry. 

He’s certain he could never get his room to look anything like Harry’s does right now though. 

He’s even got all of his records alphabetized. 

Louis is still on his first tea of the day, meaning he’s only now getting the ability to function like a real human being as he continues to down it. 

He had stopped by the cafe a few blocks away from Harry’s place to bring over some tea and scones, and they’ve just been laying on the ground making a mess all over Harry’s clean floor all morning. 

Harry seems very awake, very alive. Almost like this is his fourth caffeinated drink of the day. Which might even be true for all Louis knows. He had to get through the cleaning somehow.

“I could definitely go for a chocolate cake right about now,” Harry says, lying on his back with his arms out to the side. 

“No. No moving.” Louis sticks his hand over Harry’s chest from where he is lying on his side, facing and clinging to Harry.

“Okay,” Harry breathes out a laugh in Louis’ face. “One day we’ll make a chocolate cake,” he tells Louis. 

“With pink sprinkles,” Louis adds. 

“With pink sprinkles,” Harry nods very seriously and Louis gives himself a little reminder to stick that in his  _ Things to do for or with Harry  _ list in his journal right after his  _ buy matching socks _ bullet.

Harry starts combing through Louis’ damp hair that he should have combed before he left, while humming along to the song playing on his laptop.

Harry let Louis pick the playlist today, so he found some romantic vintage one on spotify that Harry somehow seems to know every song of. And it doesn’t take long for his hums to turn into singing with his head angled so his mouth is as close as it can be to Louis’ ear. “You’re just too good to be true. I can’t take my eyes off of you,” he whispers. 

And they stay like that.

Harry humming in Louis’ ear and Louis tapping the beat on Harry’s stomach. 

Louis is so happy he gets to see this side of Harry. The one that lazes around on Sunday in his joggers and bare feet. He’s happy he can show Harry the same side of him, even if he is quite dreadful in the morning before he gets his caffeine. 

But he thinks Harry doesn’t mind too much since he just kept kissing Louis’ tired pout all morning until it disappeared.

After a couple more minutes of just humming, their little bubble is popped by a short knock on Harry’s door that has Louis’ hand freezing at the sound.

“Hmm?” Harry turns his head toward the noise, remaining in his spot on the ground while Louis shoots up into a sitting position, knocking his legs into Harry’s in the process.

And then Harry’s mum is poking her head into Harry’s room and Louis is entirely unprepared for this. She was out for groceries, Harry told him when he first got here, and even though groceries don’t take too long he wasn’t really thinking about  _ this. _ “Hi boys. You must be Louis,” she smiles bright at him, the familiar smile calming him slightly.

“Hi,” Louis stands up, rushing over to shake her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too, hun. I was going to ask if you two wanted anything to drink but I see you have that sorted. I can put something on for lunch in a bit if you two want.”

“We’ll come down later and see but thanks, Mum,” Harry tells her.

“Alright. Nice meeting you, Louis. I’ll leave you two alone now, but don’t let Harry let you starve,” she laughs, pointing her finger at them both.

“You too, and I would never,” he smiles and waves as Anne closes the door behind herself.

He turns to see Harry on his stomach now, watching Louis with a soft grin on his face. “Was that okay?” Harry asks.

“Yeah,” Louis smiles. “Did I do okay?”

“Course you did,” he smiles, patting the spot next to him before sitting up and grabbing his tea from the floor.

Louis takes a seat next to Harry again where he’s leaning against his bed, lying his head against Harry’s shoulder, taking small sips of the last of his tea as Harry returns to his humming.

“So,” Louis starts after a few minutes of that, setting his tea down beside Harry’s cup. He woke up very determined today and he’s been putting this off long enough. Now Harry is beside him, distracting him by smiling just because Louis said a single word.

“Hi,” he draws, turning his head to Louis.

He’s nervous which might be a tad ridiculous, considering this would be a very reasonable step to take after being on the amount of dates that him and Harry have been on. 

And like most things in life, he’ll blame Eleanor if it goes to shit. 

He texted her on his way over to Harry’s this morning and she didn’t try to convince him to do anything otherwise, so she is very much an accomplice in this plan. 

“So,” Louis repeats. He won’t let Harry’s dimples distract him from doing this.

Harry waits a couple seconds before asking, “Do you want to grab lunch?”

Louis doesn't turn towards him. And doesn’t answer because Harry doesn’t get to change the subject. “Do you want to be my boyfriend?” He says. He was going for casual. But he thinks that might have been a tad too casual.

“What?”

That… wasn’t a yes. “Nevermind.” Louis waves off. “I could go for some pasta–”

“No, no.” Harry sits up straighter, interrupting Louis. Very rude.

“Lottie made this fancy pasta plate last night that was to die for. Don’t know how she’s better than me at cooking considering I am the one taking Foods, but I could try the recipe out.” Or he could probably make a run for it.

“Lou,” Harry fucking  _ coos _ , grabbing onto Louis’ arm and waiting until Louis looks up at him. “I do, yes. The answer is yes.”

That sounded more like a yes. “You do?” 

“Yes,” Harry says, lowering himself back down against the bed and then further to lie down on his back, nodding his head. “Please.”

Louis tries really hard not to let out the giggle he feels rising from his stomach, but he kind of feels like he’s going to explode.

Louis watches Harry from his spot against the bed with a smile that probably matches Harry’s right now. After a bit he lowers himself down to where Harry is but stays on his side to face Harry, looking over him. “Hm.”

Harry laughs, squinting up at Louis. “What?”

“I have such a crush on you,” Louis says, rolling over on top of Harry.

“Good to hear.” Harry beams, pulling Louis’ face closer and pressing their lips together.

*

Harry can tell the second Louis figures out where they’re going. 

He suddenly lights up right as they take the last turn and he starts laughing to himself before schooling his face into something that is probably supposed to look unimpressed—but actually looks completely fond—all in a matter of seconds. “You’re taking me to a drive-in.” He faces Harry with that face of his.

“Last time you got all pissy because we couldn’t talk at the movies, so… Now we can talk.” Harry sticks his tongue out between his teeth before pulling up to the entrance.

Louis scoffs as Harry pulls up to pay. “I was not being pissy.” But he also blushes at the same time so Harry counts it as a win. 

He’s been looking forward to this date all week. Which means he has had plenty of time to plan and plenty of time to go over those plans multiple times.

He did enlist the help of Eleanor to make sure Louis doesn’t have some vendetta against drive-ins and to make sure the movie choice wasn’t terrible. He’s only met Eleanor a couple of times now, but they already get along swimmingly and she was more than happy to offer up some help before going off about Louis and her’s previous adventures at the drive-in. Including their last adventure where her and Louis went with some kid they were doing a school project with and she and Louis ended up a tad drunk, and the kid drove off without them when they went to buy some snacks and had to walk all the way home.

Harry brought his own snacks though, the selection at the theatre is limited and Eleanor agreed that that way was the way to go.

After he pays for their tickets, Harry heads toward the back of the lot, ignoring Louis’ comments about how the back is the make-out spot. 

As if that’s a bad thing.

Dirty Dancing is playing and both Harry and Louis have already seen it, at least according to Eleanor, so Harry decided it was an okay choice. It’s a good enough movie to actually spend money to see, but not good enough that they can’t talk their way through it, or whatever else they so choose to do.

“You came prepared.” Louis eyes the bag of crap that Harry prepared for the both of them, mostly thanks to Eleanor’s suggestions plus a few of Harry’s own favourites thrown in.

“Okay, lie back.” Louis pushes on Harry’s shoulder once he puts the car in park, giving Harry little to no time to do so before Louis presses his back against Harry’s front. 

“Okay, wait,” Harry laughs, trying to push himself into at least a slightly comfortable position, before pulling Louis closer against his chest. “Okay, good.”

Harry reaches back to grab the thermos of tea he brought with plastic cups, putting them in Louis’ lap along with a bag of the pretzels. He made sure to get the same brand as the ones Louis always seems to have sitting in his car.

Louis turns his face to the side, trying to bury it in Harry’s arm. “Thank you.” He smiles, opening the bag and throwing a handful into his mouth. “This is so romantic,” Louis tilts his face up, chewing inches away from Harry’s face. 

“Thanks for that. Also there’s a bottle of wine in the back, if you want.”

“You brought wine to a drive-in?” Louis giggles while twisting his limbs uncomfortably in Harry’s lap to pull the bottle to the front. “I feel properly wooed. Is this the full Harry Styles experience?”

“This is the Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson experience,” Harry tells him, patting his stomach so he’ll sit back down again. 

“Okay,” Louis smiles, settling back down into Harry’s lap. “Whatever that means,” Louis breathes out a laugh before taking a drink straight from the bottle and then pressing his lips firm against Harry’s. “This is good,” he hums. 

“My dad gave it to me,” Harry says, grabbing a handful of pretzels from Louis’ lap. “I told him I had a hot date and needed to impress.”

Louis eyes the bottle. “Please don’t tell me I’m drinking out of the bottle of some ridiculously fancy expensive wine.”

“I didn’t ask him how much it is,” Harry says with his mouth full of pretzels. 

“Harry,” Louis turns to glare at Harry. At least that’s what he looks like he’s trying to do. But he also looks incredibly happy, which, Harry can relate. 

Harry just smiles down at him and pats down on his stomach. “Blame my dad.”

“Stop,” Louis laughs, swatting Harry’s hands away and ultimately grabbing onto them and wrapping himself in Harry’s arms.

They settle into a comfortable silence during the trailers with Harry’s arms still tight around Louis’ middle. Harry mentally jots down the trailers that Louis seems to enjoy the most so he can remember to take Louis to see those movies when they’re out. Or find them online so they can watch them at home and talk their way through the movie.

Louis keeps taking turns between taking sips of the tea he poured and chugging back the wine. He’s also gone through the stash of food Harry’s got in the back, pulling out the bag of bagels that Harry brought along. It’s mostly all carbs, because that seems to be Louis’ main love in life. 

“Okay,” Harry squeezes Louis’ waist gently a couple minutes into the movie, “two truths and a lie, kay? Go first.”

“Let me think, let me think,” Louis tells him. Louis’ hands resting over Harry’s start tapping in concentration as he takes a good minute before continuing. “Okay. My drink of choice is G&T, I have a tattoo of a cat on my arse.”

“Please let that be true,” Harry interrupts. 

“And I’m vegetarian,” Louis finishes.

“No,” Harry whines. “I don't want the tattoo to be false, but it might be.” Harry knows Louis doesn’t eat meat and gin and tonic seems like a reasonable favourite. But also maybe too reasonable. And Eleanor didn’t suggest gin for their menu this evening. 

“Final answer?” Louis turns his head to look at Harry.

“Sure,” Harry pouts and Louis starts shaking his head before Harry. “No! What?” But also yes, because that means Louis has a fucking arse tattoo.

“I'm vegan.”

“You are,” Harry deadpans. Vegan, vegetarian, that was a trick question. 

“Mhm. Your turn.” Louis nudges his elbow back against Harry's side.

“Um, no. First of all that vegetarian versus vegan thing is not fair. And, No. You can't just drop that bomb on me. Am I going to get to see this said cat one day?”

“One day.” Louis shrugs. Like this isn’t life changing news. 

“Why do you have a cat on your arse?”

Louis shrugs. He fucking shrugs. Again. 

“Do you actually?”

“Yes!”

“Oh my god.”

“How about if you win this little game, I’ll show you tonight.”

“Oh my god.”

“And if I win, I’ll show you on our next date.”

“Oh my god.”

“Better think of some good lies then.”

“Okay.”

Louis loses, of course. He gets cocky after Harry loses the first round. But he thinks that Harry’s favourite fruit is an apple so he deserves to lose.

“I feel like you’re still lying,” Louis crosses his arms on his chest.

“You lost!” Harry shakes his upper body, making Louis swing side to side on his lap. 

Louis breathes out a laugh, sticking his chin up at Harry where his head is against Harry’s chest, looking entirely uncomfortable but with a huge grin on his face “Yes, yes.” Louis pauses. “But to you, so it’s okay.”

Harry laughs, mouth wide open, pulling Louis up in his lap, closer into him. “You don’t have to show me,” he whispers.

“I want to,” Louis says, turning around in Harry’s grip, with the silliest grin on his face. All hard feelings about losing having completely disappeared.

“What, right here?” Harry looks out the window. No one is parked too close to them. It’s a pretty quiet night and it’s dark, but still. 

“Well, I’m not going to in front of my house for my mum to see,” Louis says, completely unperturbed by their current surroundings.

“Do I get to show you my arse too?” Harry says because he has to say something and he feels like he should reciprocate this thing that’s happening.

“Yeah, sure love,” Louis says, undoing his trousers buttons, still in Harry’s lap.

“Um, okay,” Harry says through his giggles. This is the most ridiculous thing he’s ever done. 

And then there’s a cat in has face that he mostly ignores because… Louis’ arse. Is there. This has never happened to Harry before and he’s a tad overwhelmed. 

“That’s a beautiful cat,” Is all that comes out of his mouth. But it seems like the right thing to say because Louis starts fucking giggling. “Why the fuck is it on your arse?”

“I lost a bet to Eleanor,” Louis says, turning around, trying to pull his trousers back over his arse. 

“You’re amazing,” Harry says. “Okay, my turn.”

*

“I should go,” Louis says, making no attempt to go anywhere.

Harry's arms, that are currently wrapped snug around his waist, don’t make any attempt at letting Louis go anywhere. So it all works out. 

It’s been a pretty much perfect night as far as Louis is concerned. He’s not sure how it could get any better considering he got to see Harry’s arse. 

And now it’s the end of the night and Harry walked him to his door and now they are doing something. 

Louis doesn’t know if what they're doing counts as kissing, it’s been at least five minutes since they were doing anything close to that. Now they’re just rocking back and forth with their huge grins smacking into each others’ every now and then.

“Okay,” Louis says, bringing Harry into a proper kiss that Harry does a terrible job at reciprocating. 

He could probably stay out here like this all night if it wasn’t for the cold and the fact that he told his mum he’d be home by eleven. It has to be some time close to that and she doesn’t have work tomorrow, so she’s probably staying up. 

“Tonight was good,” Harry smiles, and smiles, and smiles.

Louis just nods because that’s exactly what tonight was. “Okay,” Louis whispers before another kiss. “Okay, goodnight.”

It’s another five minutes before Louis pulls himself away from Harry and Harry does his best at Louis’ sexy strut on the way back to his car. 

He steps inside his quiet house, trying his best not to wake anyone up as he throws his shoes off, except he ends up falling two times before their actually off his feet. Harry has apparently ruined his balance with his fucking lips or something. 

Louis stands there after his shoes are safe and sound on the rack, just smiling. He considers opening the door again to see if Harry’s still out there to wave him goodbye, but stops himself before making that mess.

“Lou?”

Louis’ back smacks the front door at his mum’s voice. “God,” he breathes. “Fuck, hi,” he says, clutching his hand to his chest.

“Is that how you greet your mum?” She laughs, poking her head into the entrance way with a ridiculous smile on her face.

“Hi,” Louis breathes. He hopes she didn’t see that mess of him and Harry on the steps but he can already tell she more than likely did.

“That Harry?” She gestures to the door. Louis nods, sticking his head down, avoiding the urge to hide his face in his hands or drown himself in the sink. “He’s cute.”

Oh, god. “Yeah, he’s cute.” Harry is the epitome of cute and should be called cute at least three times a day.

“Yeah?” She lifts her eyebrows.

“Yeah, like I kind of love him, maybe.” Maybe being a very prominent word but also maybe not super applicable. 

“And do I get to meet this boy?” She asks.

“Sure, yeah, soon.” Louis’ been trying to bring it up with Harry, but that also feels like a huge step even though he’s met Anne a couple of times. He really wants Harry to meet Jay though. It feels like a really good time to do so. 

Louis’ phone goes off in his hand and he can’t help but whip his head towards it. “It’s Harry.”

“Okay, get away.” She shoos him away. “Go reply and be gross and in love somewhere else.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Louis laughs, running over to give Jay a hug goodnight. “Love you.”

“Love you too, boo.”

Louis waits until he’s in his room with his door closed before checking his phone.

_ You have a beautiful arse to match your beautiful face. _

And Louis fucking dies because how else do you respond to that.

_ Thanks,  _ he writes out his reply,  _ your arse to quite nice as well. I think ours will get along just fine. _

He hits sends before throwing his phone against his bed, laughing as he gets changed for bed. 

He doesn’t make it through his entire nightly routine before checking his phone again. 

_ Can’t wait for them to meet again. _

Louis doesn’t respond right away because he can’t think of anything that isn’t painfully embarrassing.

After he finally finishes getting ready for bed, he sends one last text once he’s lying down, before throwing his phone onto the end table and tucking his smile into his pillow.

_ Goodnight to you and goodnight to your arse. _


	3. Chapter 3

So, Louis’ arse.

Is a thing Harry has seen. 

It feels like a very important step in their relationship.

Like twenty years into their marriage they’ll still be celebrating that day.

So he’s distracted.

He’s been distracted all day.

Which is why he doesn’t think twice before going on about Louis for the first twenty minutes of his weekly phone call with Gemma.

He tells her the most random things about Louis, sneaking in his cat tattoo and going in depth about Louis’ creations for Foods.

Things have been good and Harry kind of wants to tell every single person in the entire world.

Maybe that’s what Louis’ arse does to people. Or maybe Harry just really fucking loves him and wants to tell every single person he comes in contact with about Louis, especially his sister.

So he’s expecting a better response.

“I’m happy you’re happy but you told me you were breaking it off,” Gemma tells him with her big sister voice on and Harry immediately feels like shit.

“Just the thing with his sister. Not our entire relationship,” he explains. Breaking up with Louis was never an option.

Gemma is completely quiet on the other end which he knows means it’s bad.

“Gemma, he’s really important to me,” he says.

Louis is nearly the top of the list of people most important to him and he needs Gemma to tell him everything is going to be okay.

“Then act like it. You seriously think he’d be fine knowing you only started talking to him because you were being paid to do so?”

“No.” Of course not.

“Harry.”

“So, I tell him and he hates me then?”

“If he cares about you a much as you care about him and he knows how much you do care, then you’ll just have to hope everything works out.”

And of course Gemma is right because when is she not.

*

“Louis, calm down.”

“They’re going to hate me, Eleanor. Harry’s going to break up with me on the spot.”

“No, he’s not.”

“Yep, it’s all over for us. You’ll have to lend me your Alanis Morissette album and take me for ice cream,” Louis tells her.

Currently, Louis and Eleanor are on their way to meet Harry and his friends and Louis is just slightly kind of nervous.

It was his own idea. He initiated it. But here he is, with Eleanor nearly tugging on his sleeve to get him to go into the restaurant.

“You’re being ridiculous,” Eleanor says, opening the door to the restaurant despite Louis’ protests, “and you have never met a single person in your entire life who wasn’t up your arse within five minutes of saying hello. And you said you’ve already talked to them. That’s why I’m here Louis. Because you told me they were all incredibly nice and welcoming.”

“I met them at school in passing.” Louis shifts his eyes around the room looking for Harry. Harry will make this better. 

Louis knows Niall, Liam, and Sarah are all every bit as lovely as one would imagine Harry’s friends to be. But this is also a big deal. It would be beneficial to everyone involved if these three actually somewhat liked him.

“Okay shush, there they are.” Eleanor nods to where Harry and his friends are at in the back corner of the room. “Don’t let them smell fear,” she whispers.

Louis cracks a small smile, shoving Eleanor off to the side.

The second Harry sees them he jumps out of his seat, trying to meet them halfway as they start towards the table and Louis feels the tiniest bit more calm.

“Hi,” Harry smiles, grabbing Louis’ hand when he gets close enough. “Hi Els, alright?”

“Good, thanks. And you?”

Louis was extremely right about the Harry and Eleanor situation. They took no time at all getting used to each and they’ve already started bonding by poking fun at Louis. Which he doesn’t mind at all.

“Alright, thank you. Good to go?” Harry asks them both, nodding over to the table.

Louis nods. “Let’s go.”

It’s hard for Louis to keep up with his nerves after that because Harry is practically bouncing off the walls. He’s nearly skipping back to the table and dragging Louis behind him, forcing Louis to skip a few steps to keep up.

Louis can hear Eleanor laughing behind them being entirely unhelpful.

Liam is the first at the table to look up at them with Sarah and Niall following right after, all with friendly smiles on their faces making Louis wonder why he was such a mess two minutes ago.

“Hi, Louis,” Liam says once they approach the table. “And Eleanor, right?”

“That’s me,” Eleanor says from Louis’ side.

They all rush through mildly awkward introductions, before the three of them grab the empty seats on the right side with the other three on the left across from them.

The awkwardness only lasts another five minutes until they all order and Niall starts going off about some project he did for school, which somehow leads into a discussion about traveling, and then into university and they never run out of things to talk about.

“So,” Liam starts. “Harry says you’re going to London next fall, yeah?”

“That’s the plan, hopefully,” Louis nods. He’s already submitted all his applications. The waiting process has been brutal, but he’s been trying to keep his mind occupied with upcoming finals and whatnot.

“And what about you Eleanor?” Sarah asks, right across the table from Eleanor.

“London,” Eleanor nods. “For Political Studies.” Louis and Eleanor had spent the majority of last summer talking about going to London together. Although London was always the dream, Louis wasn’t really thrilled at the thought of going by himself. Going with Eleanor it always seemed more doable and now he’s got an entire table of people he’ll be friends with that all want to go to London, and London feels significantly less far away and less nerve-racking.

Harry tries to hold his hand through most of the night, which fails miserably considering they’re both right handed and need to eat. They manage with a few hand grabs and Harry steals even more bites of Louis’ food by sneaking a forkful whenever Louis is mid sentence.

At the end of the night, Harry and Louis give up their rides in favour of walking home together. Which was probably a fault on Louis’ part, since he lives the farthest away. But it also means twenty minutes more with Harry, so he’ll take it.

“Did you have fun?” Harry asks, swinging Louis and his’ hands back and forth where they’re pressed into each other. “I had fun.”

“Yeah, course I did.” Louis smiles, squeezing Harry’s hand.

*

“So, your birthday...” Harry starts from beside Louis.

They're both on Louis’ bed with his laptop in front of them, Netflix open and the volume almost all the way down in favour of their light conversation. The early rain disrupted their very new tradition of Sunday morning walks that they’ve only actually successfully done once before. But it was enough to sour their moods.

Instead, Louis ended up taking half a dozen cupcakes out of his freezer and turning on some episode of Freaks and Geeks that they’ve both seen before.

Last Sunday, Louis had shown up on Harry’s door step with four cups of tea and demanded that they walked until they were all gone. They only got as far as the park on fourth, with only one cup down each, when Louis decided that that was enough as long as they do it again next week. And then the week after that.

Except, when Harry showed up at Louis’ house earlier this morning with fresh tea and a damp shirt, Louis refused to leave his house and here they are.

Louis is now currently lying half on top of Harry with his head resting on his back. He seems to only be half paying attention to the show, with the other half of his attention focused on the shorter hairs against Harry’s neck that he’s combing through.

Harry on the other hand is completely concentrated on the feeling of Louis’ hands in his hair, ignoring the show and instead, resting on his stomach with his forehead against his arms and eyes shut.

Louis hums in response right up against Harry’s ear.

Harry shifts his head to the side, trying to look back at Louis. He looks ready to drift off any second, but still manages a small smile for Harry. “What are you thinking you might want to do?” Harry asks.

“Just this,” Louis says, pushing his face into Harry’s back.

Harry flips around on the bed to lie on his back dragging Louis back on top of him so that their faces are inches away from each others’. Harry is very much good with this, but it’s the first birthday of their relationship and Harry feels like doing something big. Louis deserves big.

He’s going to tell Louis next Saturday.

He’s talked to Lottie, planned the whole thing and he’s just going to pray to every god in the sky that things will work out and everything will be okay. He doesn’t know exactly what he’s going to say. He’s gone through at least four different speeches in his head but he doesn’t have one that feels enough. But he’s going to tell him.

“Do you want to go to London for a day. We could meet up with Gemma, could bring Eleanor. I could take you to a fancy dinner or to a moderately fancy hotel to order room service from all night.” Harry’s been attempting to save up and he’s ready to blow all his savings for Louis’ day.

But all Louis does is shrug.

Harry needs more than a shrug. “No?”

“Maybe a picnic.” Louis smiles like the idea just came to him, sitting up with his legs straddling Harry’s hips. “I can make some more donuts or cupcakes,” he says, grabbing both of Harry’s hands.

Harry just smiles back, rocking their hand side to side. “Okay. Whatever you want.”

Louis smiles wide, closing his eye and dropping himself back down on Harry’s chest.

They stay like that, with Louis’ head tucked under Harry’s chin and hands sitting in each others’, both of them dozing off periodically until Harry hears the front door open and shut from downstairs.

Louis turns his head towards his door. “That would be my mum.”

Harry sits up with Louis still in his lap. “Do you want me to–”

“Do you want to stay for lunch?” Louis cuts him off, twirling Harry’s fingers around his own. “We can sneak you out the back if not, if you’re uncomfortable meeting her.”

Harry meets Louis’ eager eyes. “I’d love to meet her if it’s okay with you.”

Harry’s nearly been dying to meet Jay. Louis talks about her constantly, always calling her his best friend. He didn’t want to ask about it, feeling like Louis should be the one to initiate it, but he’s been looking forward to this since Louis met his own mum.

Louis nods with a bright smile. “It’s okay with me.” But he pushes Harry back down, lying his head back on Harry’s chest. “Five more minutes, though.”

Harry breathes out a laugh, shutting his eyes a few beats after Louis does and drawing one of his hands up and down Louis’ back, happy to have a few more minutes of this.

They end up staying like that for closer to ten minutes, neither of them dozing off that time as far as Harry can tell, before Louis starts squirming.

“Okay,” Louis says, sitting up with slow movements, looking like he could go for at least ten more minutes. “Ready?” He yawns.

“Ready,” Harry nods.

Louis climbs off of Harry, pulling Harry up with him before fixing both of their shirts. “Okay, call her Jay and ask her for her mashed potato recipe and you’re good to go.” He smiles confidently.

Harry nods again. He’s nervous, and he doesn’t think he’s ever been this nervous meeting a single person before. It helps though, that Louis seems more excited than anything else though.

Jay and potatoes. He can do that.

Harry starts following Louis out of the room and down the stairs with their hands in each others’ the whole time. Jay and potatoes on repeat in Harry’s head.

He can hear Jay in the kitchen before he can see her. And then they enter the kitchen and she starts turning right as they walk in. “Lou, love, could you grab–” she stops once she’s fully faced them, a warm smile taking over her face. “Hi there.”

“Hi. Mum, this is Harry.” Louis takes his hand out of Harry’s and makes a small stiff gesture towards him. His lips are closed, doing that thing when he’s trying not to smile, but, as always, it doesn't seem to be working for him.

“Hi, love,” Jay says, coming towards them and taking Harry’s hand in her own. “Nice to meet you, Harry.”

“Hi Jay, it’s nice to meet you as well.” Harry doesn’t miss the smile Jay sends over to Louis. “Louis says the most amazing things about you.”

“This boy here?” Jay laughs, pulling Louis into her side as he goes willingly.

Harry breathes out a laugh as Louis pulls Jay into a tighter hug.

“Same to you, love. Talks about you nonstop,” she says squeezing Louis’ shoulders, making him try to wiggle out of her grip.

“Food, yes. Let’s make that.” Louis claps his hands, finally ducking out of Jay’s arm, turning towards the counter.

“You two sit, it’s almost done. Just set up some plates, yeah, and I’ll finish the rest.” Louis starts opening his mouth to protest. “No. Sit.”

Louis laughs, pulling Harry over to the seat and pushing him in it before grabbing some plates and cutlery.

They spend the next hour with Jay. She asks about school and Harry’s plans for next year, giving Louis an eyebrow raise when Harry tells her he too is going to London.

Jay does her speech, as if it’s been meticulously planned out, about Louis as a child. About the singular day Louis spent wanting to be a vet, about the day he was ten and his grandma asked if he had a girlfriend yet and he told her “No, and I don’t have a boyfriend but I will one day”, and about the time Jay brought home a vegan apple pie a couple months into Louis being a vegan and Louis was so excited that he ate the entire thing in one go.

He sees so much of Louis in Jay and Jay in Louis.

And after they eat Harry asks about the potatoes and Jay’s smile is infectious.

She sends him off with the leftovers and tells Louis to throw in some more of his cupcakes and he leaves full and with plans to come over again for supper next weekend.

*

Louis doesn’t know how on earth anyone, let alone Harry fucking Styles, convinced him to attend the winter formal.

But here he is.

He’s proper done up too, because Harry can’t do anything halfway. He brought out his fancy suit for special occasions, because Harry was very adamant that this was one of them and Louis lives to make Harry happy.

And then there is Harry, in some sparkly suit looking as beautiful as ever. With the biggest smile on his face to match.

It’s hard to be any kind of grumpy when Harry is absolutely beaming and twirling Louis around as they make their way from Harry’s car into the school.

“I can’t wait to dance with you,” Harry whispers after pulling Louis into his side.

“I can’t wait for you to trip over your own feet.” Louis bumps his waist into Harry’s. Harry probably already knows that Louis is just as excited to dance, even if he would rather do it in the comfort of either of their own rooms.

Harry just bumps back into him. “Are you going to catch me if I fall?”

“Yeah, yeah, ‘course.”

“Then it’s okay,” Harry says, grabbing Louis’ hand in his own as they walk inside the school.

It takes a minute after they walk in to show the people at the door their tickets but after that, Harry doesn’t give Louis any time until he’s dragging him into the centre of the crowd, bringing his hands to Louis’ waist.

“You look really beautiful tonight,” Harry tells Louis, his mouth up against his ear.

“Fitting then,” Louis leans back to face Harry, “that I’m dancing with the most beautiful man in the room.”

A ridiculous smile appears immediately on Harry’s face. And then he just nods, a little aggressively and Louis can’t help but smile back.

The music drifts from song to song and it’s pretty much a mess of awkward grinding during the faster songs and polkaing around, disturbing every single other person, during the slow songs for the next hour.

And they both smile through it all.

“You’re such a good dancer,” Harry yells in Louis’ ear.

They’re playing _Body Like A Backroad_ and, for some reason, Harry is very into it and Louis is, of course, just as into it.

“But you already knew that.” Louis turns in Harry’s grip, pressing his back against Harry’s front.

“Why else would I be with you,” Harry says against Louis ear.

“For my arse.” Louis backs up the statement with some practised dance moves.

Harry barks out a laugh that Louis can feel just as much as he can hear. “Yes, that too.”

“Good,” Louis smirk, focusing back on the music until Harry starts tapping on his hips.

“You want something to drink,”Harry asks as the song fades into another while Louis turns around with Harry’s hands still on his sides.

“Sure. I’m going to go say hi to Els and Sarah. Meet me over there?” He asks, nodding over to the both of them off to the side huddled together at one of the tables.

“Sounds good,” Harry says, tapping Louis’ waist again before pulling away.

Louis pushes his way over to the table Eleanor and Sarah are sitting at with a couple of other kids he recognizes from around school.

“Hello! Hello!” He grabs Eleanor shoulder before taking the empty seat beside hers, waving down at Sarah on Eleanor’s other side.

“Hi, love!” Eleanor says leaning back in her chair in attempt to face both Louis and Sarah. “We saw you two showing off out there,” she says, slapping his thigh.

Louis smiles wide. “Thank you.” It’s always a good day when his dance moves get the appreciation they deserve.

“Where is the curly haired man?” Eleanor asks after a sip of her drink.

“Getting drinks, he’ll be here in a second.”

And then the song changes and a smile takes over Eleanor’s face before she’s leaning back into Sarah’s space to grab her hand. “I love this song, let’s go out there, yeah?” She says to her before turning back to Louis. “We’ll be back to see Harry, just have to go out there for this song,” she rushes out and then they’re off, into the middle of the dance floor and into a random circle of people they probably don’t know.

And so Louis is alone, abandoned. Left to rot.

And then the guy next to him starts tapping Louis’ shoulder and maybe he prefers being abandoned but still, he whips his head around to face the guy. “Louis, right?” He says. Mike, Louis thinks it is. He’s never talked to the kid before, not that he can remember anyway, but he recognizes him from his History class this term.

“Hi,” Louis say, turning his body to face him. “You alright?”

“Good, man.” He nods. “It’s a fun night.”

Louis nods, mostly just hoping Harry’s on his way so he doesn’t have to make much more conversation with a stranger. He could probably still catch up to Eleanor and Sarah.

But then Mike starts talking again. “You're here with Harry, right?”

Louis nods, still distracted by his search for Harry in the crowd. 

“You guys together?”

Louis nods again, slower this time, hoping that that was the right thing to do.

“Cool. He seems cool,” Mike nods.

Louis just nods along because he doesn’t know this kid and he’s not totally comfortable. He doesn’t look like he would start anything and there are a ton of other people at the table, and around the room, but Louis would still much prefer Harry’s company.

“Hey,” Mike taps his upper arm, Louis freezing up under his touch. “What ever happened to that kid he was paid to take out?”

Louis blinks, turning his head to face him directly. “Hm?”

“Yeah, heard him and some friends talk about something of it. Think it was him anyway.”

And then Harry pulls up to his side, taking Eleanor’s seat, before Mike says anything further. “Hi, here you go,” he says, handing Louis a drink.

“Hi.” Louis looks down at his drink, still processing mostly, but still leaning closer towards Harry.

“Okay?” Harry asks, wrapping his arm around Louis’ shoulder and Louis wants to do nothing but melt into his touch.

Instead he shrugs out of Harry’s grasp, eyes still on his drink, anywhere but Harry’s face. “Um.”

“Fuck,” Mike swears and Louis’ stomach drops.

He waits for Mike to tell him it was a joke but then he just starts walking away and it doesn’t seem like much of a joke.

“Harry,” Louis murmurs. He knew dances were bad.

“What?” He looks like he’s about to reach out for Louis again but decides against it. “Louis, what is it?”

“Who's fucking paying you?” It only takes a second for Harry’s face to fall. “Oh my god? Oh my god.” He's supposed to be denying it right now. They should be kissing and laughing about it by now. They should be on the dance floor making fools of themselves.

“Louis. Let’s—can we go outside for a second?” Harry reaches out for Louis but Louis jerks out of the way before he can get any closer.

“Don’t. Don’t fucking touch me.” Louis stands up, putting even more distance between him and Harry.“You—this whole time,” Louis pants. “Were you ever going to–”

“Lou–” Harry steps out of his chair, closer towards Louis.

Louis only backs up farther. “Don’t call me that,” he says still walking backwards. He doesn’t know where he’s going. He’s hoping if he just keeps backing up he’ll eventually get somewhere away from here. But he could also really use a hug from Harry but that’s the last thing he needs right now. “I’m fucking–” humiliated. “I hope you got a laugh or whatever else it is you were trying to get out of this,” he says, turning and walking towards the exit, needing to be away from Harry as quick as he can.

“Louis. Louis.” He hears behind him.

He only picks up his pace. His eyes are stinging and he’s not going to let this man see him cry for fucks sake.

He almost turns around five times on his way out but eventually he does actually get outside. He can still hear the bass from the music inside and it’s cold and he doesn’t know what to do.

He’s kind of hoping Harry will come after him still, tell him Mike was joking, that it was all a joke, tell him anything that will make any of this better.

Except he doesn’t of course and it’s not a joke and he just needs to get home.

He grabs his phone out of pocket, praying that his mum is still awake before quickly calling their home phone.

“Hi, love. How’s the dance?” And she sounds so happy. Because even though Louis didn’t originally want to come at all, he was really looking forward to tonight.

“Hi, mum. Can you come pick me up?”

*

Harry has to at least try to talk to Louis. He can’t let Louis think it was all for a few bucks or for a quick laugh or believe for a second that Harry faked any of it.

He talked to Gemma on the phone for hours yesterday. He was sure the whole time she was biting back telling him that he should have told Louis sooner. Or that he could have told Lottie no from the start and just asked Louis out like a normal person and just done absolutely everything differently. He could have asked Louis out after his play when they were fifteen.

And they would have a solid long term relationship by now, probably planning to move in together for university. And they would get in little arguments about whose school they would live closer to or the colour of their duvet but everything would be okay.

Instead Harry’s gone and gotten them into this mess.

For a split second, waiting in his History seat, he thinks, hopes, prays, that Louis is going to smile up at him when he walks in the door, that Louis will take his usual long way around just to tap Harry on the shoulder for no reason at all. And everything will be exactly the same.

Except in reality, Louis walks in with his head down seconds before the class starts, heading straight to his seat.

Harry barely sees his face the entire class. It’s like Louis is angling his head just right so that the only thing Harry will be able to see is the back of his head.

And after an hour of Harry staring, waiting to see a fraction of his eyes or lips, Louis is quickly out of his seat once Mr. Mason dismisses the class, head down and out of the door before Harry is even out of his desk.

Which is exactly what he expected Louis to do. But it still makes any kind of conversation between the two of them further away than Harry thought it might be this morning. He also feels like he could use a good cry, but that can wait.

At lunch Harry considers going to Lottie, letting her know what happened and hoping she knows what to do. Also to ask if Louis has said anything over the weekend, if he’s okay, if he hates Harry, which he has every right to.

But he doesn’t want to drag her any further into any of this.

Instead he heads to the parking lot, praying Louis will keep up with their usual Monday schedule of lunch in his car.

And there he is nearing the entrance, with his head down, dodging everyone else who’s coming and going with as much grace as anyone ever could. And Harry just stares for a second before running up behind him.

“Louis,” Harry calls when he gets close enough for Louis to hear.

Louis stops in his tracks suddenly. He looks like he wants to make a run for it and Harry’ heart breaks on the spot. Louis barely looks up when Harry is next to him, just a small glance to the side and the he steps away, creating space between them. Harry can only see his profile from his spot beside him but makes his stomach jump. “Please don’t,” Louis says, sounding exhausted. “Please go, I’m literally begging you.” And then he’s walking away again, knowing that Harry isn’t going to follow him after he said that.

Instead Harry still yells after him, needing him to understand. “I called it off with them before anything happened, I swear. I always had feelings from the very beginning, the money had nothing to do with that–”

“I know it was Lottie,” Louis says stopping and turning towards Harry. “I know you had my sister pay you, Harry. And–” He cuts himself off, rocking the weight on his feet side to side. And Harry hates this. He doesn’t want Louis feeling awkward around him. He can’t let Louis think he should ever be with someone who needs convincing and an incentive to date him. “How could you? What are you gonna tell your mum and Gemma?” And Harry’s face must do something awful because Louis’ hard expression breaks. “Oh my god, they know? They fucking know.”

“Not, not my mum.” He shakes his head.

“Just Gemma then. Oh, and Niall and Liam and Sarah. And Mike knows so maybe everyone does.”

Harry looks down.

“What? Were you all laughing at me behind my back? That I fell for you so fast.”

“God, Louis no.” Harry takes a step forward before he thinks better of it. Only causing Louis to immediately take two steps back. “Of course not,” he shakes his head, looking down at his feet. “I would tell them that I was falling just as fast and how much–”

“Were you ever going to tell me?” Louis cuts him off. “When you talked about us both living in London. Or were you just going to act like it never happened?”

Harry’s eyes find Louis’ again. “I was going to tell you, I promise,” Harry begs for Louis to understand. “I promise. Louis, it doesn’t– it doesn’t change any of those things. It doesn’t change how I feel about you.” He wants to step closer. He wants to give Louis a hug and tell him he loves him over and over, but he holds himself in place as he watches Louis take a few steps back.

“Well it sure as fuck changes how I feel about you.”

“Lou–”

“Please. I just need some– I need to go.” Louis ducks between the next two cars, heading straight towards his own.

And Harry stays, watching him get in his own car a few rows down, not knowing what else to say and not knowing how to make it better.

*

“So,” Eleanor start, throwing her book on her end table and flipping on her side to face Louis. “What’s the plan, stan?”

They’re over at Eleanor’s, doing their usual routine where they do homework for twenty minutes and then stare at their work and get nothing done for the next few hours.

“Dying,” Louis deadpans.

Their usual twenty minutes of productivity was more like a solid eight minutes today. Eleanor did a short write up for Foods before grabbing some book off her shelf that is definitely not for school.

Louis on the other hand actually still has his homework in his hands. It’s a new English assignment that has him questioning the good judgment of Mr. Arle. And all he has to show for the past hour he’s been over here is a single sentence that he knows will have to be scrapped anyway. But at least Eleanor made some progress.

Eleanor nods seriously. “I like it. But that can be plan B.”

Louis breathes out a laugh, that’s also somewhat of a groan, knocking his head back against Eleanor’s headboard where he is spread out across Eleanor’s bed. “I’m sad.” All the ice cream in Eleanor’s house has been long gone after the first half hour of his visit and it didn’t do much good.

He was mad for a few days.

He hates being mad or angry or anything of the sorts, but he tried to let himself be mad and Eleanor tried to convince him he deserved to be. And now he’s just sad.

He doesn’t think Harry had any intentions of hurting him, at leasts that’s what he hopes. But that also doesn’t change the fact that he did hurt him.

“I know, hun,” Eleanor says, scooting closer on the bed to wrap her arms around Louis’ waist. “You know I’m on your team until that death thing and all, but Harry was a really good egg. And good eggs do really shitty things sometimes. But they’re still good, you know? That doesn’t mean you need to forgive him, but it means you could if you wanted to.”

Louis nods, because he knows Harry was a good egg, at least he came off as a really good egg. And Louis misses his egg. “Does that make me stupid to forgive him?”

“Course not, hun,” Eleanor tells him, patting his stomach.

Louis doesn’t feel like making any big decisions today. “I’m sad.”

“Okay, let’s be sad for now and we can figure it out later, yeah?”

“I like it,” Louis whispers.

It’s late when Louis gets home from Eleanor’s, with only one more line for his English assignment done. This one slightly more usable though.

He pulls his laptop out right away, dropping himself across his bed and opening a fresh word document, typing out his single line. And then reading over it ten times.

It’s a creative writing project, this English assignment. Something Louis was extremely excited about, until Harry broke his fucking heart and now all he can think to write is about Harry breaking his fucking heart.

But as good old Ernest would say, “ _write hard and clear about what hurts”._ So he goes with it because it seems to be going somewhere.

Except it takes another hour for him to get out another semi decent line for the poem to be and he’s delayed from getting any further when a quiet knock on his door knocks him out of his writing bubble.

He rubs at his eyes before looking up to see Lottie peeking her head in the room. “Hi, can I come in?”

Louis nods, patting the edge of this bed. “Course, come here.”

Lottie ends up perched on the side of the bed, bringing her knees up to her chest. “Louis?”

“Hi.” He closes his laptop, throwing it over to the side. He sits up straight, crossing his legs in front him. The last thing he wants is for Lottie to feel bad.

When Lottie got home from the dance and saw Louis crying she immediately started crying too and it was the worst feeling the world.

“Lou,” she starts again, fiddling with her trouser leg. “It’s not– it’s not what you think.”

“You didn’t pay some poor bloke to break my heart,” Louis laughs, trying to make a joke and probably missing by a couple of miles. He doesn’t feel very equipt to have this conversation. He’s never been a fan of serious chats and this one seems especially not fun.

“The money wasn’t a thing, like, I– we asked him to take you out but, we paid for the date not for him.”

“Do you have any idea how pathetic that makes me feel?” Even without the money, it’s not like Harry asked him without a prompting to do so. He did it because he was bribed to.

“Louis, we stopped giving him money after the first month. He stopped taking any.”

Louis breathes out. “But you paid him.”

“I’m sorry. I just– you know when you were in Grease, I sat next to Harry at one of the shows and he told me he was there to see you and then you were all shy when he told you how good you did after, and I don’t know. I thought you liked him.” She shrugs and of course she remembers that and of course Harry said that to her. And that would all be really sweet if Harry hadn’t taken money to take him out. “Are you mad at me?”

“Yeah, but it should only last ten more minutes,” he smiles. He doesn’t think he’s capable of staying pissed at Lottie for more than ten minutes. It was a terrible way to go about it but at least she picked out a guy that Louis could stand.

Lottie breathes out a laugh. “Are you mad at Harry?”

“Yeah,” he shrugs, lowering his eyes to his hands fidgeting on his lap.

“Lou.”

He looks up to see her very recognizable unimpressed look. “When was the last date you paid for?”

“Um, the one before the brunch date, he wouldn’t let us pay for that one.”

Louis nods, that makes him feel a very small percent better. “I’m embarrassed Lotts, and sad and tired, but I love you, kay?”

“We’re good?”

“We’re good.” They’re always going to be good.

Lottie waits, keeping her eyes on Louis. “Do you think you and Harry might be good?”

And Louis shrugs because he really doesn’t know. He wants to say an overwhelming yes, because he’d really like for Harry to be in the rest of his life. But he also really doesn’t know.

“I think he’s proper in love with you,” Lottie sticks her foot out to kick Louis’ and Louis can’t and doesn’t do anything to stop the smile taking over his face.

“Good,” he says, pursing his lips to try to control his smile, “cause same. But, I’m going to sleep so out with you.”

“Night, Lou,” she smiles, crawling over to Louis to wrap her arms around him.

“Night, Lots.”

  


*

English starts the same as usual, with Louis getting in last minute and finding an empty spot furthest away from Harry.

Harry has got his creative writing assignment typed and ready to be handed in as soon as possible so that he doesn’t chicken out and tell Mr. Arle he didn’t do it.

“Morning class,” Mr. Arle starts. “Happy to see most of you have your writing assignments done. I was hoping to do something different today.” Harry is hoping not. “For those of you comfortable, I would love for you to come up and read your poems, or a portion of it, or whatever you are comfortable with. This isn’t for marks, just thought it would be nice to share some of your work with your classmates.”

Harry sinks in the back of his desk. Not having to think for a second, he knows he’s not getting up there to share any part of his poem.

“Don’t look too excited, Styles,” Mr. Arle taps on his desk with a short laugh.

Harry sends a smirk up at him and also what he hopes is an expression that says there is no way he is reading his poem.

It works because Mr.Arle then looks up to the rest of the class, searching to see if there is anyone glad to partake in this heinous exercise.

And apparently some people are happy to do it.

The first two people who raise their hands both nail the assignment and get the appropriate applause they deserve.

And then Mr. Arle looks up for the next volunteer. “Louis,” Mr. Arle says, snapping Harry’s attention from down at his desk to the side of the room where Louis is sitting, “go for it.”

Louis slowly starts unfolding a piece of paper while maneuvering just as slowly out of his desk and towards the front of the room.

Harry stays focused on Louis’ face. He hasn’t looked at Louis like this for too long and even now he doesn’t know if he’s allowed to.

Louis breathes out when he’s situated in front of the class, a slight shake in it that Harry isn’t sure anymore else notices, before he starts.

“I hate the way you talk to me, and the way you fix your hair. I hate the way you drive my car. I hate it when you stare. I hate your big dumb sparkly boots, and the way you read my mind. I hate you so much that it makes me sick. It even makes me rhyme.  
  
“I hate the way you're always right. I hate it when you lie. I hate it when you make me laugh, even worse when you make me cry.” He stops, looking up at Harry for a second, before flicking his eyes back down to his paper. “I hate the way you're not around, and the fact that you didn't call. But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you, not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.”

*

It’s Sunday. And even though their tradition only lasted two weeks Louis starts heading toward the park on fourth hoping Harry feels the same tie to it that he does.

He definitely wasn’t ready last Sunday, and he's not even sure if he’s ready this Sunday.

It hurt and then he was mad and then he was sad, but now he just misses Harry.

He takes the long way to the park, spending the majority of the trip practising what he’s going to say to Harry and freaking out about what Harry might say back.

Halfway to the park he regrets taking the long path. He misses Harry’s face and he could be looking at it right now if he had gone straight to the park instead of stalling.

So he ends up rushing and is nearly out of breath when he gets to entrance.

But he sees Harry and the little breath left in him hitches. He thought he planned enough of what to say, but clearly not because now that he’s here, stepping closer and closer to Harry, he realizes all his practise rounds started mid conversation and Louis doesn’t know how to start.

Harry’s facing away from him, sitting cross legged on the ground right where the ground turns into a short hill with a small pond at the bottom.

Louis stops a step away from Harry’s back, still struggling for an opener. He kind of wants to turn around and run away, but also kind of wants to slip into Harry's lap like he would have a few weeks ago. “Hi,” Louis taps Harry’s thigh with his foot startling Harry out of his still posture. “Um, hey,” he says again when Harry turns to face him.

“Lou, Harry breathes, standing up in one movement and wiping off the back of his jeans of dirt. “Um—Louis, Hi.”

Louis hates this.

And he hates that Harry corrected himself.

Weeks ago they were in each other’s pockets and now it feels like day one all over again. Or negative day one. “Can I sit?”

“Course,” Harry says, nodding a couple beats longer than usual.

And they both sit back down, not touching.

Louis really just wants to forget about it. He wants to erase the past few weeks and go back to kissing in Harry’s car and going further, drinking warm tea in Harry’s bed, indulging Harry in his terrible taste of reality dating shows, and going through his own phone every night finding new pictures of Harry that he managed to take without him noticing.

He wants Harry to smile at him again. And he looks sad and Louis doesn’t want Harry to look sad. He’s had enough sad.

“So,” Louis starts after a few minutes of them looking out at the pond, “I’m kind of in love with this bloke.” Harry quirks his lips, turning slightly to face Louis. “But he kind of broke my heart.”

Harry must lick his lips five times before responding. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

Louis turns his body to fully face Harry and pats Harry’s leg to do the same. He quirks a small smile before doing so and knocking his knees against Louis’ in the process. “But like, I might forgive him.” Louis tilts his head to the side, grabbing onto the bottom of Harry’s trouser leg for something to hold onto.

Harry tries to school his face into some mildly neutral. “Depending on?”

Louis shrugs. He could really go for a good serenading right now. But what he needs is for Harry to tell him more about it from his point of view. Last time he was too pissed to ask and listen to what he needs to hear. He doesn’t think Harry did it with any harm intended. But that doesn’t change the outcome. “His explanation, maybe a nice apology.”

Harry’s face lights up and Louis has to smile back because he’s missed Harry’s dimples more than anything and it finally feels like it’s all going to be okay. “He’s good at those.”

“Okay.” Louis nods.

Harry traces Louis’ fingers that are still attached to his trousers. “Would you consider a proposal a good apology?”

Louis raises his eyebrows.

It would probably work very well. It would also solve absolutely nothing.

“I’ll save that for the next time I fuck up,” Harry says with his eyes on their hands, only flickering back up to see Louis’ glare. “That was a joke,” he lets out a weak laugh, tugging Louis’ hand into his lap to continue tracing. “Lou, I swear to god. I would do anything to go back and give us a better beginning. I just, I really wanted– and, and I’m sorry. I guess I lied, I’m shit at apologies. When Lottie, when she came up to me it was like, why wouldn’t I do it. You’re the prettiest guy at our school, yeah? And I’m not loaded with extra cash and it was an excuse to talk to you and get to know you. A terrible excuse, I know. It was terrible but it was, I don’t know? A chance. I don’t know. But I did it and it was like I got to take you out and impress you with being able to pay the bill, right? I don’t know, maybe not.

“And then you did you’re whole thing. Being you and all. Being exactly how charming I’d imagined you were. And I got caught up a little with being able to be around you and then, um, everyone was, well talking about how you’d feel if you knew I was paid to take you out and I guess, it’s stupid but I never thought of it that way. Or maybe I tried really hard not to. But then you asked if you could kiss me and I called it off with Lottie the next day. But I didn’t feel any better and Louis, I swear to god, I swear on my signed Fleetwood Mac vinyl, I was going to tell you. I planned it out in my head. That we’d be on those swings right there.” He points to the playground on the edge of the park. “And I was going to give you this.” He pulls out an envelope from his bag and Louis already knows all the money from Lottie is in there. “And I was going to say that if you want you could meet me at The Roastery that night at seven you could and then you wouldn’t show up til 7:15 to fuck with me. But I would have hoped you’d showed up and told me I was a dick but that it was maybe okay. But I fucked up, Louis.”

He looks down before continuing. “You know, I almost came to talk to you second day of class. After you rolled your eyes at Terry’s comment about fucking metaphors or whatever. I was so close to doing it too, but then I saw you laughing in the parking lot with Eleanor and I was just staring at you until you got in your car and left,” Harry breathes out a laugh.

Louis shifts forward, putting his knees right over Harry’s, smirking at how apparently rolling his eyes did it for Harry.

“None of it though,” Harry continues, “none of it was played up at all. I love you so fucking much, the whole time. I love you so much and I want to do this the right way,” he smiles, bringing Louis’ hand to his lips. “Court you and marry you too and have babies and be your best friend.” He smiles, grabbing Louis’ other hand and bringing both of them into his lap, staring down at both of them for a minute before he looks up quickly. “How was that?”

Louis blinks quickly. “Life changing.” He doesn’t spend any time wishing Harry came up to him that day, knowing it doesn't’ change anything. And his mind is mostly taken over by the courting and marriage part. “And the baby thing too.” He nods with his both his thumbs up against Harry’s hands.

“Yeah?”

“Especially the baby thing.” He laughs. “I mostly want to forget about it,” he says, bouncing his knees on top of Harry’s. “I was really sad though. And I don’t think I was wrong to be sad. But I think I’m done being sad. You’re forgiven for everything. I just think, maybe it sounds weird,” Louis’ laughs looking down at their laps, “but we got together because it happened. I think we would have figured it out anyway. But it worked out how it did, right?” He smiles, looking up to see Harry’s eyes wet. “Why are you crying?” Louis squeezes Harry’s hands before taking one hand out of Harry’s to wipe his face. “It’s okay.”

Harry leans into his hand. “Can I be really sappy?”

“Haven’t you been sappy enough?” Louis laughs, dropping his hand back down. “You can be as sappy as you’d like,” he says, softly.

Harry laughs, leaning forward. “I love you and you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I love you. I thought you weren’t coming back.” He whispers the last part.

Louis gets up on both his knees, turning around and sitting right in Harry’s lap like he wanted to to begin with. “You’re incredible apology skills saved the day,” he says, pressing into Harry’s neck.

Harry’s arm wrap around Louis to squeeze him backwards. “You can thank my mum for that.”

“Thanks, Anne,” Louis whispers, closing his eyes. They sit quiet for a few minutes. Louis would love to sit like this for another hour in Harry’s arms but he also feels like he’s got too much energy and happiness to be sitting down right now. “Well, that was depressing.” He pats Harry’s thighs. “We must go do something fun to make up for it. Like jump in that pond.”

“I love you,” is all Harry says.

Louis turn in his arms with a grin showing all of his teeth. “I know.”

“And you’re cute,” Harry smiles down at him, matching the size of Louis’.

Louis breathes out a laugh, sticking his face in Harry’s neck. “I know that too.”

“We’re going to get married,” Harry whispers.

“Yeah, yeah,” Louis nods, shifts close in Harry’s arm.

“But I'm not jumping in that fucking pond.”

*

Harry’s never made a vegan lasagna before, and he’s almost certain that even after today he won’t be able to say he’s ever successfully made vegan lasagna. 

He’s considering ordering takeout, but Louis would probably tell him he’s ruining his birthday if he did that.

And then Harry would cry because he doesn’t want to ruin Louis’ birthday, and then Louis will cry because Harry’s crying, and then Louis’ birthday would genuinely be ruined.

So lasagna it is.

He doesn’t even love lasagna, and he doesn’t even know if Louis loves lasagna but he found it on a website with _easy vegan recipes_ that very obviously lied to him, because this is anything but easy. He should have stuck with Louis’ suggestion of making vegan sandwiches. He’s done that before. But it’s Louis’ birthday, so Harry tried to push himself and what kind of potluck doesn’t have lasagna.

So here he is, layering his perfectly cut zucchini because that was the only step he was confident he could successfully do. The bechamel sauce is a whole other story. He’s fairly certain it’s supposed to be smooth. But that’s okay.

It only starts looking like an actual lasagna fifteen minutes later when he gets the last layer of noodles on top, probably because they perfectly cover the mess underneath them.

And he ends with the cheese, after having carefully selected the brand he knows Louis likes, and then in the oven it goes.

Louis is over at Eleanor’s right now having dinner with her family before they all go to London for the holiday. Afterwards, Louis is supposed to pick Harry up. Eleanor is graciously allowing them to borrow her truck for the night. And seeing as she’s in London for the next week, maybe it'll be more than one night. Who knows?

Then the plan is to take the truck out of town a bit and find a spot for a nice picnic. Harry suggested having their picnic in Louis’ room or something, but Louis apparently doesn’t “give a fuck about the weather. You can’t have a picnic inside. Do you want to ruin my birthday, Harry?” And that was that.

Then after they’re done freezing their arses off, they are having what Louis has deemed a sleepover party in his room and then breakfast with his family in the morning.

Harry doesn’t know if the nervousness he feels about the first birthday of their relationship is warranted but Louis deserves a special day and Harry is determined to give him a good one.

He goes through his closet a few times to find a pair of trousers that meet in the middle of aesthetic and function and packs up a pair of fancy trousers and button up for tomorrow.

Louis arrives just after Harry’s packed up the last of his things for tonight and tomorrow’s festivities and Harry opens the door to a party horn being blown in his face.

“Hi.” Louis smiles with his tongue sticking out between his teeth. He looks ridiculously comfy in one of his many yellow jackets with purple joggers tucked into his three layers of socks sitting in his Dr. Martens.

“Thank you for that.” Harry smirks, blinking down at Louis.

“It’s my birthday, don’t be rude.” And then he’s up on his tippy toes, pressing a kiss to Harry’s lips. “Ready to go?” He asks, bouncing back on his heals.

It’s not Louis’ birthday yet but Harry doesn’t point that out. He hasn’t pointed it out after the first time that he did when Louis had said something to the same extent a week ago and then told Harry he was ruining his birthday.

“I’m ready. I’m ready. Just need my jacket.” He’s already got on a sweatshirt but he pulls his good jacket out of the closet to put on overtop. “Do you have some blankets?” Louis is always the first to complain about being cold but after he got the idea of the picnic in the back of Eleanor’s truck in his head there was no getting out of it. And Louis deserves whatever complete ridiculous thing he wants to do for his birthday so Harry just wants to make sure they are fully prepared, wants him to have the best birthday he can have tonight.

“Yes, yes. Blankets are in the truck.”

“Alright.” Harry grabs all of his bags, handing one over to Louis when he offers. “Ready to go,” he says after going over his checklist for tonight in his head.

“Here,” Louis says, handing Harry the keys as per part of the agreement—Harry drives there, Louis drives back—before turning around and heading towards the truck.

Eleanor is apparently very protective of her truck, as Louis had warned Harry multiple times about and which was exceptionally evident when they approached her on the subject of borrowing it.

It didn’t take long to convince her after Harry told her he wanted to make their first birthday together special though since Eleanor is a huge romantic and all that.

Harry hauls his basket—his very real, very authentic picnic basket that had Louis freaking out over when he first saw it—into the back seat. Louis nearly begged Anne to let them use it tonight which she had zero problem with considering they use it once a year at most.

“This is supposed to be a potluck,” Louis says beside Harry after all their bags are in the back, peering into the picnic basket with a huge smile on his face. Not censoring at all how excited he is for this. “You brought at least four times the amount of food I did.”

“Don't say anything until you’ve tasted it.” Harry laughs, arranging all their bags as best he can.

“I’m sure everything tastes great,” Louis says, backing up. “It smells amazing.”

“Thank you,” Harry smiles, closing the back door before pulling Louis in by the waist for a quick kiss. “Alright, let’s get this over with.”

“Excuse me?” Louis leans back in Harry’s arms with a tiny smirk and eyebrows raised.

“I’m kidding.” Harry pulls him in, pressing their faces together. “But let’s go. We don’t want a picnic in the dark,” he says, letting his arms fall from Louis’ waist before opening the driver seat’s door.

“The truck has lights, we’ll be good.” Louis turns to circle the car to get into the other side doing little twirls and skips all along the way.

“Okay.” Harry pats the wheel when they’re both in and buckled and smiling. “How far out should we go?”

“Until it feels far enough.” Louis rubs his hands together before taking complete control of the music like usual. Harry’s car is now filled with CDs that Louis has burned for him even though Louis mostly just likes uses his phone. But in the case that it is dead, which happens fairly often, the CDs are a backup and for whenever Louis’ not in the car with him.

Louis ends up finding the _Tangled_ soundtrack in Eleanor’s mix of CDs and happily sticks that in and ends up singing along word for word for absolutely every single song. Harry tries to chime in with the words he knows but ultimately ends up just listening and watching Louis for most of the trip. Especially during _Mother Knows Best_ when Louis gets even more animated than before and it reminds Harry of seeing Louis on stage.

Once they reach the city’s limits, Harry continues a couple minutes farther, reluctantly pulling onto a side road and parking off to the side. He would be happy to drive around for another hour so he could hear Louis sing some more.

Harry puts the truck in park turning to find Louis with a bright smile already facing him. “Ready to freeze your arse off?” Louis slaps his palms on his thighs.

“If that’s how you want to spend your birthday then yes.” Harry nods.

“Eleanor and I packed the back with a shit ton of blankets,” Louis says, pointing behind him, “even got a battery powered heater back there.” He’s bouncing slightly on his seat, not looking even slightly worried about the weather, too excited about just the idea of having a picnic.

They both hop out, grabbing their bags from the back of the truck before making their way into the bed.

The whole thing feels very romantic. The bed’s got plenty of blankets and even a few pillows at the back, it’s got the heater that Harry can already feel working, and a radio that starts playing _Lay All Your Love On Me_ when Louis turns it on. And Harry grabs the package of battery powered candles that he stuck in his picnic basket to scatter along the floor.

Harry turns to see Louis staring back at him when he’s placed the last of the candles. His face is a little flushed with all his teeth present in his open smile. “This is perfect,” he whispers. “Now let’s see what you’ve got in here.” Louis crawls over to Harry’s open picnic basket, taking everything out to place beside the food that he brought. “You baked an entire lasagna,” he says, opening the container of what luckily stills looks like lasagna and looks like it retained at least some of it’s heat.

“Yep! Easy peasy.” Harry smiles big at Louis who just lifts his eyebrows high while Harry continues taking out the last of the food. Louis’ brought some tea and plastic wine cups to drink from along with a salad and dessert that sits lovely next to Harry’s lasagna, mashed potatoes, and cut up fruit and veggies.

“Harry,” Louis breathes. “That’s really sweet.” He’s still got the lasagna in his hands and Harry hopes this means he likes lasagna.

“It was nothing,” he shushes Louis off.

“Okay.” Louis rubs his hands together. “Let’s eat.” He grabs the plates he’s brought from home dishing out the lasagna first. “Here,” Louis says, passing a plate to Harry before getting ready to dig into his own.

“You’ll lie and tell me it’s good even if it’s not, right?”

“Shush, I’m sure it’s amazing.” Louis flicks his hand away before taking a bite, leaning into Harry’s side. “Don’t tell my mum but it might be better than hers,” Louis whispers.

“Really?”

“So fucking good,” Louis says after another bite.

“Yay.” Harry doesn’t say Jay’s must be pretty bad.

But after he takes a bite he has to admit it’s not as awful as he thought it might be.

“And…” Louis says after they’ve finished they’re pieces of lasagna, pulling out a container of cupcakes. “Me and Eleanor made these this morning. Made yours with pink sprinkles. And mine—the one Eleanor made—is the one with ‘I heart H.S.’ in icing.” Louis holds it up proudly towards Harry.

“Amazing,” Harry laughs, grabbing the sprinkled cupcake from Louis. “Should I sing for you?” Harry asks, but Louis’ already started diving into his own cupcake.

Louis shakes his head, still chewing. “You can wait and sing with mum and Lottie tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Harry bites into his own. There’s even more sprinkles inside. “But I can give you your gift now, yeah?”

Louis hums, finishing off his cupcake. “Sure.” And then he starts bouncing onto his knees.

“Yay,” Harry whispers, pulling Louis’ gift through the window in the back. “Here, here, here.” Harry pulls his legs under him, facing Louis completely. He’s had most of Louis’ gifts for weeks, sitting in the bottom of his mum’s closet so Louis wouldn’t find them when he was over, and he’s been ready to give them to him since then.

“Okay,” Louis whispers with a small smile, slowly picking off the tissue paper on the top.

First he takes out a vintage purple windbreaker from the bag, widening his smile immediately.

“Gemma took me to a couple of vintage stores when I was visiting and I saw this.” Harry points to the jacket. He felt bad lugging Gemma around shops during his last visit but he wanted to get Louis something special and in the end Gemma was more than happy to show him a couple of her favourite spots around the city and help pick out the perfect gifts.

“Harry, this is beautiful,” Louis says, flipping the jacket around a few times in his hands. “You’ll have to take me there when we go too, yeah? I love it.” Louis throws his arms around Harry’s neck. They don’t have any solid plans but they’ve talked more than one about visiting London for Harry’s birthday.

“Keep going.” Harry squirms in his grip, falling into Louis’ side, under his arm while he goes back to the bag, next taking out the vegan recipe book with vegan chocolate chips and vegan sprinkles to use in the recipes along with some other vegan candy he found in London.

Louis’ gasps. “I’m going to make all of these for us,” he smiles, flipping through the book.

Harry squeezes Louis’ waist. “And I’ll get to find out you do nothing in Foods and everything you’ve ever given me is ninety percent Eleanor’s work?”

“Excuse you.” Louis closes the book, his mouth wide opened. “No. Please don’t ruin my birthday,” he says, setting down the recipe book next to his jacket.

Harry barks out a laugh, sitting up straight and putting both his hands up in surrender. “Keep going.”

Louis reaches into the bag, taking out the stack of books at the bottom of the bag.

“These are all from this LGBTQ bookstore in London,” Harry tells him, scooting in behind Louis and resting his chin on Louis’ shoulder. “We’ll have to go there too. But, yeah, grabbed you a bunch of gay books that the girl working there told me were good.” He told her he needed a birthday present for his boyfriend and she came back with probably over fifteen books for him. Harry ended up picking four out of the stack that looked the most like something Louis would enjoy—also trying to go for a range of genres—and then bought two more for himself.

Louis leans back in Harry’s arms. “I love a good gay book.”

“That’s good.” Harry laughs, patting Louis’ stomach while Louis skims the back of all the books before setting them down next to rest of the gifts.

Louis looks up from where his head is rested just under Harry’s chin. “This is my best birthday.”

“It’s not even your birthday yet,” Harry says but he’s also grinning ear to ear. Louis deserves for every birthday to be his best birthday yet and Harry would definitely be up to making that happen.

“I know.” Louis pulls himself up to smack his lips against Harry’s. “Thank you, Harry. You’re something else.”

“You too,” he says, pulling Louis in tighter.

The heater is right next to them and Harry’s pulled the majority of the blankets around them and he hasn’t thought about the cold much but the temperature is slowly starting to drop. But Louis doesn’t look fazed and hasn't complained once, just keeps downing more tea whenever a gust of wind hits over them.

They both have two more cupcakes each before digging into the rest of their food and finishing off the rest of the tea by taking swigs from the thermos because the wine glasses were a terrible idea. They stay out a while longer, slowly going through the fruit and veggies, each taking turns closing their eyes and having the other one feed them something and then guess what it is. It’s alot easier than Harry thought when he suggested the game but they got to eat food from each other's hands so it all worked out in the end.

After an hour or so of lying the bed they retreat into the cab of the truck for another hour with the wonderful heat on high while they finish up some more of the food and not even getting through half of it but Louis just says they’ll have to save some for his actual birthday and feed some to Jay and Lottie.

Just after ten, Louis decides he’s ready to go home and get their sleepover started so they end up throwing everything back in the picnic basket and making their way to the front seats of the truck with Louis in the driver’s seat this time.

The entire ride home is spent with _Mother Knows Best_ on repeat with Louis gradually getting louder and louder each time it’s played. Harry also picked up the majority of the lyrics and sings just as loud the last few times until they get to Louis’ place.

Jay’s lying on the couch with a book in her lap when they walk in the door with Louis still humming _Mother Knows Best_ lyrics into Harry's neck. “Hi, boys,” she greets, sitting up as they immediately start taking their many layers off. “How was the picnic?”

“Amazing.” Louis smiles, rising up on his toes to hand his arm over Harry’s shoulder after he’s hanged up his yellow coat.

“Cold,” Harry says, pressing his hands under Louis’ shirt on his waist making Louis jump out of his grip.

Jay watches them with a subtle smirk on her lips. “That sounds lovely. I’m heading off to bed now but the kettle should be hot, only needs a minute or so and there’s a few bags of crisps on the counter. And Harry,” she says, pointing over to Harry, “don’t let this boy into the freezer,” and then over to Louis. “Don’t want to ruin your surprise cake before tomorrow. Okay?”

“I’m on it.” Harry grabs around Louis’ waist, pulling him back into Harry while Louis pouts.

“Night, loves,” Jay says, smacking a kiss on Louis’ cheek before retreating upstairs.

“Night,” Louis says as they both wave her off.

“Okay.” Harry turns Louis around to face him. “I’ll make the tea and grab the crisps then and do you want to bring all this stuff upstairs?” He nods to their bags on the floor which does nothing but cause Louis pout to deepen.

“Fine.” Louis glares before bending down to grab all of their bags and lugging them up the stairs after a quick kiss on Harry’s lips.

And then Harry is off to the kitchen, first finding both his and Louis’ favourite flavoured crisps on the counter before turning to put the kettle on and grabbing down some tea cups. For Louis he brings down his favourite that says ‘I need a tea the size of my ass’ and for himself, he grabs his own favourite that has a bunch of famous paintings on it where everyone's clothes fade away when the cup gets hot.

He quickly whips up the tea, the kettle taking no time at all before it starts boiling, and then makes his way up the stairs with both the cups in his hands and crisps tucked under his arms.

“Yay,” Louis cheers the second Harry gets into the room, grabbing the crisps under Harry’s arm and throwing them on the bed before grabbing for his tea.

“Here you go.” Harry hands Louis his cup.

“Thanks, love.” Louis brings the tea up close, blowing into it lightly.

“And,” Harry draws out, setting his tea to the side and grabbing his overnight bag from where Louis placed it on his bed. “Guess what?”

“You’re straight.” Louis takes a small sip of his tea.

“No, fortunately for you. Brought that wine you like,” he says, pulling said wine out of his bag. His whole family was very involved and on board with making this the best night of Louis’ life and Harry hinted multiple times to his dad that Louis was a fan of the wine that he brought him last time and it just happened to appear next to his bag on the kitchen table this morning.

“My favourite!” Louis smiles, setting his tea off to the side and jumping across his bed. “And I’ve got the chai vodka,” he says, grabbing the full bottle of vodka from his dresser.

“My favourite.” Harry smiles right back at Louis.

They end up sitting themselves down at the edge of Louis’ bed with their legs tangled together, finishing their tea with random sips of wine in between and one shot of the vodka each. Then Louis pours some vodka into his tea and Harry has to do the same. And then they decide they’ll stick with wine after that.

“Think you’ll wake up with grey hair tomorrow?” Harry asks, passing over the bottle of wine.

Louis takes a swig, licking his lips before answering. “Think you’ll wake up bald tomorrow after cracking that joke?”

“You love my hair.” Harry doesn’t care what either of them wake up looking like tomorrow, he’s just excited that they’ll be waking up together.

“Yeah, yeah. You have nice hair. I don’t have any attachment to your arm hair though, could get rid of that,” Louis says, running his hand up and down Harry’s arm. “That’s not true,” he says, letting his head fall onto Harry’s chest. “I have an attachment to all of you.”

“You too.” Harry smiles down at him.

Later, after they’ve finished the rest of the cupcakes and crisps and after Harry’s tried to give Louis a lap dance to _Gimme Gimme Gimme—_ all Eleanor’s idea—with the volume almost all the way down so that they wouldn’t wake Jay or Lottie, meaning Harry could barely hear the music over Louis’ laughter, they find themselves under the covers of Louis’ bed with Harry tracing shapes on Louis’ bareback while Louis hums into his pillow.

“What time is it?” Harry taps lightly against Louis’ back.

Louis groans before reaching out for his phone on his nightstand, the covers falling even further down his body. “Just passed twelve,” he says, lowering back down on the bed.

Harry grabs Louis’ waist, pulling himself closer so he’s right against his side. “Happy Birthday,” Harry whispers into his back.

“Thank you,” Louis breathes out, throwing his hand out to pat Harry’s side.

Harry buries his head closer in Louis’ neck. “Love you,” he whispers in his hair.

Louis starts shuffling in Harry’s grip, flipping onto his side, very ungracefully, to face Harry.

“Harry,” Louis whispers, searching Harry’s face.

“Hm?” He smiles, tucking Louis’ hair away from his face.

“I love you.” And then he smiles, every single tooth showing despite his tired eyes. “I know I kind of said it, but not like that and I like when you say it like that.” He brings his hand up to tap against Harry’s dimple.

“I like when you say it like that too.” Harry pulls Louis’ hand down before drawing Louis’ face closer and in for a kiss and then for another and then a bunch more until Louis pulls back slightly.

“Okay.” He pats Harry’s face. “I’m going to fall asleep on your lips.” Louis breathes out, leaving one last kiss on Harry’s lips before tucking his face into Harry’s neck.

“Okay.” Harry pulls him in tight. “Goodnight birthday boy.”  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> And thank you to my amazing beta Chastity!
> 
> Title is from Winterbreak by Muna.
> 
> And of course, the poem is from 10 Things I Hate About You.
> 
> [tumblr post here!](http://eleanorcaldit.tumblr.com/post/164938783564/ill-always-have-one-more-try-by-annewithane-a-10)


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